Breaking: NHL veteran has been diagnosed with diverticulitis.

A National Hockey League veteran has been diagnosed with a serious intestinal issue and as a result is now expected to miss significant time. 

According to a breaking news report from the NHL's Amalie Benjamin, Boston Bruins veteran forward David Backes has been diagnosed with diverticulitis, and according to the Bruins he is expected to be out at least until the end of the month. 

While diverticulitis can sometimes be treated merely by changing ones diet, it can also be a much more serious condition that in some cases requires surgical procedures to properly treat. 

It's not all that common in professional sports, with the last serious case we can think of coming when Ultimate Fighting Champion Brock Lesnar was diagnosed with the condition. In Lesnar's case diet was unable to solve the issue, and there are many who believe that the surgical procedure that followed is responsible for prematurely ending his career.

Obviously the hope is that this will not be the case with Backes.

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