Former NHL Goaltender Speaks Out About The Darkness That Came After He Retired
It's long been viewed as something to slip through the cracks, or second fiddle to the game of hockey itself, but mental health during and after NHL careers has been a problem, since Doctor's begun meticulously researching the vast subject of mental health and cte.
Former Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Scott Darling experienced just that, according to a comment of his during an interview.
"I got depressed when I retired," said Darling as per NHL.com. "I was depressed for six months; I didn't know what to do with my life."
In some cases former players fall to the clutches of depression, opting to end their lives sadly. In some cases though, the players find a way to express themselves and find clarity in life after the NHL. Scott Darling found his niche, and it is interesting.
"I never thought I'd actually do it but I was at the Laugh Factory in Chicago and this guy by the name of Ray Wisbrock went on and he was hilarious," Enthused Darling, about his new-found interest in standup comedy.
He went further to discuss his humour and how jokes were an opening for the former goaltender. "My humour is very dark and true stories about my life and this guy had the same type of humour, an older guy and he recognized me in the lobby from playing for the Blackhawks. We became great friends and he said, 'Just open for me one time, and if you don't like it, I'll never ask you to do it again."
Darling, 33, last played in the NHL during the 2018-19 season with the Carolina Hurricanes, he played eight games, posting a goals/against average of 3.33, along with a .884 save percentage. He posted a modest two wins, four losses and two ties.
Do you think the NHL needs to offer more support to their players, post hockey career?
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