Former Chicago Blackhawks and Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Scott Darling didn’t mince words when voicing his disdain for the NHL and NHLPA’s joint player assistance program.
During a sit-down with the What Chaos! Podcast, Darling refuted a comment made by the show’s host, Pete Blackburn, about the program being a “good thing” for the league and its players.
“F— them,” Darling said. “I told players [about] what I went through. If you need help, do it on your own. Don’t ever go through the PA. I’ll say, honestly, I hope you guys F—ng here this. They’re monsters.”
Darling says his biggest grievance with the program is that there is a looming threat of contract termination.
“They are trying to make you break your contract,” Darling said. “If you walk out the door, then the NHL can break your contract.
The NHL Collective Bargaining Agreement does not explicitly state that a player can have their contract terminated for leaving the program.
One NHL agent told Yahoo Sports that a departure from a program could, in some instances, equate to grounds for contract termination, however, the agent added that it would be “a complicated battle.”
Launched in 1996, the player assistance program was created to give employees access to a confidential phone line and counsellors in each city to assist players and their families with mental health, substance abuse and other personal matters.
Colorado Avalanche defenseman Samuel Girard entered the program last Friday, citing issues with anxiety, depression and alcohol abuse.
Last March, Florida Panthers goaltender Spencer Knight entered the program to receive help for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD).
