Mathew Barzal Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 Never knew much about Carcillo other than his pest label prior to this read to be honest, but this is a great piece of writing by him. The video is a must watch as well. http://www.theplayerstribune.com/nhl-daniel-carcillo-steve-montador-video/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Watermelons Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 It was early Sunday afternoon, and I was taking off my shoes in our players’ lounge when I kept hearing my phone buzz. Someone was calling repeatedly. I immediately got an uneasy, sick feeling when I looked at the screen and saw who was calling. It was my close friend Missy. She was hysterical. “Steve’s gone,” she said. My best friend in hockey, Steve Montador, was found dead in his home at age 35. Steve was a 12-year NHL vet who battled addiction at certain points in his career before getting sober. Since he walked away from the game due to concussions in 2013, he was struggling to figure out what to do next. But I was still in complete shock and disbelief. For some reason, I started getting dressed for the pre-game skate. As a hockey player, you’re just taught to push through the pain, no matter what. I started putting on my skates when I glanced across the room and saw the stall Monty used to sit in when we played together. I heard his deep, hearty laugh. I broke down. I went to the trainers’ room to try and finish tying my skates without anyone noticing the tears. I didn’t want to be a distraction for the guys. It was a big game. I told JT, one of our trainers, what had happened. I tried to put on my best face and finish getting ready back at my locker. That’s when Johnny Toews noticed something wasn’t right. I don’t think I was doing a good job of hiding it. He pulled me back into the lounge and I told him what happened. Johnny hugged me and tried to calm me down. But I was inconsolable. I blew my nose, slammed some cold water and went out for warm up, telling everyone who asked that I’d be fine for the game. About five minutes into it, I was stretching by the bench and caught the eye of Pauly, one of our trainers. He must have just found out the news, too. His eyes looked sad. He could see I was hurting. I tried to take one more lap but failed to do so without breaking into tears. I walked down the tunnel and straight to the coach’s room and walked into Q’s office. They had just gotten the news about Monty as well. When I could finally speak, I told him I couldn’t play. I didn’t want to be a distraction. I got undressed and left the rink. I had so many thoughts and questions that needed answers. What had happened? Who was with him? Where was he? Is this real? This can’t be real. Why didn’t he reach out if something was wrong? My mind was racing. Over the days to come, I experienced emotions that I’d never felt before. I never realized my heart and soul could ache as it did from that kind of loss. When I rejoined the team after taking a few days off for Monty’s funeral, I couldn’t put what happened out of my mind. One night on the road, I started writing down my thoughts on Hilton hotel notepads. Why do NHL players struggle so much with moving on from the game? Why are so many former players I know battling depression? Why does the hockey community ignore them when they’re gone? And why can’t we create a more concrete program to help them transition into real life? I must have filled up 20 notepad pages. Then, I thought of a memory of Steve lathering himself up with Flexall gel after a pre-game workout and running into the locker room in his underwear. Anything to get a laugh. Anything to make other people happy. That was Steve. I started to laugh. I started to break down. Finally, I decided to sit down in front of a camera and try to explain why we can’t lose another Steve Montador. Here's the article and video for people who are too lazy to go to the link. Reading articles like these really show a different side of the game. Fighting is obviously a very exciting component of the game and the violence gives the fans and media something to talk about. But on the other hand getting punched in the head night after night has so many negative consequences. It's so sad to see players get concussed, or go through depression, etc. I'm not trying to condone fighting or anything but I agree with what Carcillo is saying. I really hope the NHL gets it's game together and works hard to eliminate headshots and dangerous plays from the game. We don't need the future generation of players to have their careers ruined because of dirty plays. I hate how the DOPS is so inconsistent in how it deals with dangerous plays. I don't get why the NHL seems to suspend/punish based on injuries. Players should be punished for the intent of the play. Just because there wasn't serious injury doesn't make the dirty play any better. It's also frustrating that guys like Crosby or Toews get VIP treatment while "lesser" players like Alberts are ignored. Side note: Isn't it interesting to see guys that are "fighters" or "pests" in a different angle? So many of those guys are great people off the ice. As fans and as opposing players it's easy to hate them but they put their body on the line every night for their team. Definitely something to respect them for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Magician Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 Changed my perspective about Carcillo tbh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Where's Wellwood Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 I think most players we see as pests are fine people outside of the game. The fact that the NHLPA's exit program for newly retired players is just a phonecall is pretty shocking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HC20.0 Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 I hate Carcillo as a player, but I can't help admire him for this video. I've battled depression. It was the hardest fight of my life. You get so down... It seems like misery and dark thoughts just swallow you and you're left with no... No hope. Steve Montador lost everything when he got concussed. Everything he worked for was just gone because of a headshot. Completely tragic. What Carcillo is doing is admirable in every way, trying to help these guys. Belak, Montador, even Rypien... All lost battles with depression. It's a big thing, it's a scary thing. Good on Dino for what he's doing. These guys need help... They're human too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Apple Juice Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 The NHL is a brotherhood. Whether you know the player and who he is/was or are huge rivals/enemies, outside the rink, they look out for each other. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canuck73_3 Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 Never thought I'd get choked up listening to something said by Dan Carcillo. Good on him for gathering awareness for this and the NHL's lack of action with players. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
viking mama Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 I am also very grateful for the very worthy, strong, and wonderful Alumni associations and programs that teams like the Canucks have going on. I'm sure they also help retiring players with their transitioning away from full-time involvement in the NHL. The punishmnet both taken and doled-out by those so-callled 'gritty' players or 'enforcers' is costly to them, then and now. The league needs to get on-board with the more universally accepted standards, like in the IIHF, asap - if they wish to spare players like Montador such sufferings after hockey. Whether it's alcohol abuse, guilt, pain, the pain-meds, or brain injuries,..there's so much more to address after retirement when a player's paved his way to the NHL via bruising his knuckles or playing 'hard-nosed' and 'old-school'. Bettman and the owners can join the 21st century anytime now or just be sued into submission - eventually. Wonder which way that will go? They could start by using the technologies available to them to punish the intent and not just some actions that result in an injury. And when players are not honest and lie (Duncan Keith) it should be to their detriment, and on record...and their words do not need to be accepted at face value. And once and for all, please require the perpetraitors to publicly fess-up and apologize to their victims before they return to play the game. Why not set an example for the next generation of players and society in general. Remorse is a sign of some repentance,.. that a particular player should be able to be trusted to play this wonderful game among his fellow union bro's again. Until there's 'full' accountability....even from officials who botch calls (let the media question them) the integrity and honuor remaining in this game,..aint worth the bar swill spewed when we here about or witness atrocities happening to our favorite NHL-players,..again and again. Get out and support the NHL Alumni groups and their functions and continue to value all of their contributions to our community well after their careers have wound down. Our Forever Canucks,..I love 'em all! (PS: Mark Messier - was never really a Canuck.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thejazz97 Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 I hate Carcillo as a player, but I can't help admire him for this video. I've battled depression. It was the hardest fight of my life. You get so down... It seems like misery and dark thoughts just swallow you and you're left with no... No hope. Steve Montador lost everything when he got concussed. Everything he worked for was just gone because of a headshot. Completely tragic. What Carcillo is doing is admirable in every way, trying to help these guys. Belak, Montador, even Rypien... All lost battles with depression. It's a big thing, it's a scary thing. Good on Dino for what he's doing. These guys need help... They're human too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
awalk Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 Damn onions Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orcasfan Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 And, so, the tragedy continues...This is the human cost of the style of hockey pushed by guys like Cherry, and, in fact, all those guys who love "old style hockey". It would be interesting to see what the situation is for retired players in Europe, where they play such a "soft" style of hockey. Do they deal with the same problems there, of addiction, depression? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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