How Mental Health Struggles Nearly Ended Patrik Laine's NHL Career
Canadiens' Patrik Laine recently opened up about his mental health struggles and he revealed just exactly how it all nearly put an end to his NHL career.
Patrik Laine opened up to Spittin' Chiclets recently, stating that he was unhappy while in Columbus and had to remove himself from the sport before finally being traded to Montreal.
Laine truly felt he would never play hockey again
At the beginning of January 2024, when Laine signed himself into the NHLPA player assistance program, he was uncertain about his standing in professional hockey.
«It was, at the time, the hardest decision I've had to make. Like walk away from something you love, and you kind of sacrifice everything to be here. And then, because of your own struggles, you have gotta leave that behind for a little bit. At the time, I didn't know for how long, I didn't know if I was going to play again. It was the best decision I've ever made to take that time off and prioritize my head,» Laine says.
However, one thing is for certain: he emerged refreshed and ready to tackle his personal issues.
On his personal life, Laine claimed things went south the moment he had informed then Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen that he might be taking a retirement break indefinitely.
«I think I told Jarmo a couple times that I'm done playing, Im not coming back, I'm not going to play again. And then I ended up coming back and I probably shouldn't have. At the time I think I should've taken the time then. Then it just started going downhill and just got to that point I was so depressed that I couldn't function anymore and just had to blow the whistle that this is not going to be good if you just try to run through the wall like it's not going to work out.»
During his time with the Jets, reports had surfaced claiming Laine suffered from gaming addiction.
He even went into great detail about his behavior on business trips, saying that he would lock himself in his room to play Fortnite with gaming consoles in every city he visited.
Starting in 2024, Laine and his fiance Jordan Leigh started an organization called From Us To You that centers on mental health awareness. His personal battles have inspired a lot of people, especially after using the assistance program to open up.
There's a chance that people who battle similar issues may find solace in Laine's frankness about his issues and what he went through.
MUST READ
TRENDING NOW
