Tom Sestito (ex Canuck enforcer) implicates NHL in prescription pain killer abuse

[RWJC]

7 minutes ago, nuckin_futz said:

Sestito's 77 game season with the Canucks was when Tortorella was coach. It would appear he's the pill pusher.

 

Next former employee of ESPN

[CBH1926]

32 minutes ago, Elias Pettersson said:

The difference with steroids is that the players were taking them without the teams knowledge or consent.  It was hidden until it came out in the open.  With drugs like Toradol, Ambien and the opioids they are actually being given out by the teams medical staff to "treat" the injuries.  It looks like they are even giving them to the players without a prescription.  

I have gotten few Toradol injections for back pain, wasn’t really impressed with it.

As far as MLB goes, steroids were banned since early 90s but league didn’t start testing until 2003.

Same goes for the guys that played in the NFL in the 70s and 80s, so many of them were juicing.

 

Both leagues were pretending that they didn’t know.

Technically you are right that NFL and MLB didn’t give out steroids but they were well aware of it.

Just decided not to do anything about it which makes them accessories imo. 

[Elias Pettersson]

37 minutes ago, nuckin_futz said:

Sestito's 77 game season with the Canucks was when Tortorella was coach. It would appear he's the pill pusher.

 

Kesler missed most of the 2012-2013 season with injury and came back in the 2013-2014 season to also play 77 games.  Kesler and Sestito probably shared the same bottle of Toradol, maybe they were roommates on road trips...

[Nucksfollower1983]

maybe these things happen because people are trash, money comes first at the expense of others long term health. players should be allowed to heal from injuries naturally without being pumped full of pills or injected with whatever and should never have to worry about saying that they cant play because of whatever injury. I seriously doubt this is a problem that only happens in sports. I wonder how many people are forced into going back to work in any given field before they have properly recovered from injury/illness because some bean counter looked at the money side of things and made a decision based on that alone. 

[nuckin_futz]

13 minutes ago, Nucksfollower1983 said:

maybe these things happen because people are trash, money comes first at the expense of others long term health. players should be allowed to heal from injuries naturally without being pumped full of pills or injected with whatever and should never have to worry about saying that they cant play because of whatever injury. I seriously doubt this is a problem that only happens in sports. I wonder how many people are forced into going back to work in any given field before they have properly recovered from injury/illness because some bean counter looked at the money side of things and made a decision based on that alone. 

Most of the players want to come back as soon as possible and will willingly play injured for fear of losing their spot. Professional sports is highly competitive. If you're not ready to go, they'll find someone else.

 

Ever heard the name Wally Pipp? He was the 1st baseman for the NY Yankees in 1925. One day he had a headache and took the day off. They put in a kid named Lou Gerhig. Gerhig went on to play the next 2130 games in a row and Pipp soon found himself on waivers.

[CaptKirk888]

3 hours ago, Dazzle said:

Unfortunately, since AV has been outed by Lehner, and that AV was one of our longer-lasting coaches, I'm not surprised if the Vancouver Canucks are the one team that has been handing out drugs like Toradol and Ambien.

 

I really wonder if there's a story with Gillis too, though it seems to me that he cares about his own players.

 

The more I think about it, the more I think Vancouver is definitely one of the 'bad' teams.

 

Edit: I realize now that AV did not actually employ shotblocking nearly as much as I thought.

AV was gone already by Sestito’s first year with Van. Torts was the coach that year, if it matters.

[StanleyCupOneDay]

2 hours ago, StanleyCupOneDay said:

Definitely seeing fire in all this smoke. Wonder who else/next will speak up?

I’ll answer my own question: Eddie Lack is next. And yes Vancouver is going to be implicated, I hope they decide to make a change on this issue.

 

https://bc.ctvnews.ca/accusations-of-medical-malpractice-mistreatment-among-nhl-teams-not-surprising-to-former-player-1.5611177

 

It’s a striking accusation that does not come as a surprise to one former NHL player. Retired goaltender Eddie Lack recalls seeing teammates receive pills from team doctors on numerous occasions. Sometimes, Lack says, it would be for pain relief during the gruelling 82-game NHL season, and other times, it would be for help falling asleep on late night flights.

 

“Do I have the proof that Robin (Lehner) says he has? No,” Lack told CTV News. “But, do I think things like that go on with teams? Yeah. 100 per cent.”

[Elias Pettersson]

Eddie Läck, Tom Sestito, Ryan Kesler.  What is the one thing they have in common?  They all played for the Vancouver Canucks in the 2013-2014 NHL season when John Tortorella was the coach...

[RWJC]

It’s difficult to say who’s at fault in these situations. If you’re training staff, you look out for both the player’s health and future (even if they are a commodity) while balancing the team’s reliance and expectation on said player, as well as investment. If they are an integral piece and they are asking for something to help them with being banged up, or emotional/mental issues, or even if it’s just to get some rest and recuperation, it’s usually the player seeking out that help.

 

Easy to place blame on the staff but these are professional athletes who are also attempting to extend their careers for as long as possible, while managing the expectation they place on themselves, their agent has on them, as well as family/dependents.
 

From what I’ve seen and understood, it’s usually the players who are the ones initiating, and I’m sure in this day and age lines often do get blurred, but it’s not like the dressing rooms double as dispensaries or pharmacies. The onus shouldn’t just be placed on the staff.
 

If Tom Sestito received painkillers, it’s because he initially asked for them or something of the sort.

If he abused them, especially in his chosen role as enforcer, the role that (in lieu of advanced skill) he knew was going to keep him in the NHL and making a good salary, then it’s also his responsibility to realize and acknowledge on his own if he has a problem. He’s paid to do a job, and insurance covers him and the team if he’s unable. Hard for me to feel sorry for a grown man who is ultimately responsible for his own actions.
I’m sorry, I just don’t buy in to making someone else responsible

for your own shortcomings and/or weaknesses. I don’t care how it played out. He wouldn’t have been given medications if he didn’t assert that he felt they were helping him. To put it bluntly, he led the league in PIMs, with a ton of fighting majors. He accepted that role. No one forced him to play hockey.
 

Yes, addictions/dependencies absolutely need to be monitored closely, as do personal decisions. SOB, JV, Kassian are all examples of just some of the guys that the team tried to help out, but their own actions eventually derailed their own careers. I think the same applies when it comes to prescription drug abuse.

I was fortunate growing up in that my dad’s best friend was Larry Ashley, head trainer of the Nux for I think 13 or 14 years. I never use the term, but he truly was an amazing guy and the only “uncle” I’ve ever had. He afforded me the opportunity to really see the game behind the scenes. He allowed me to help out at two full Canucks training camps (plus LA’s first camp with 99) and it gave me real insight as to the relationships between staff and players, and between an individual player and themselves. 
 

My dad’s two other close friends were Ron Delorme and Joel Quenneville.

I’ve spent a lot of time with all 3 and I can say this much…when the game evolved out of the late 80s/early 90s from being a sport to becoming a business is when the players mentality changed. The financial opportunity has escalated so much that there is obviously far more at stake now. And like I said earlier, the longer you’re in the game, the more money you make, and that’s the prevailing ambition for most players even if it means numbing the pain along the way to do so (cortisone, painkillers, alcohol, etc). That is their choice. They can always quit hockey and choose health over profession, but more often than not it’s their own hubris that extends their careers.

 

I just hope in this cancel culture age where players are making these crazy amounts of money, folks are able to step back and realize that it’s a choice to become a pro athlete, not a mandate, and that for the most part it’s the individual’s decision on how to best manage their own self to achieve their goals.
 

Just because they are idolized doesn’t mean they’re exempt from making poor personal decisions, mismanaging the help or advice they are given, or being aware of and asking for help with their own character faults. 
 

Just my humble opinion. 

 

[mll]

3 hours ago, Dazzle said:

Unfortunately, since AV has been outed by Lehner, and that AV was one of our longer-lasting coaches, I'm not surprised if the Vancouver Canucks are the one team that has been handing out drugs like Toradol and Ambien.

 

I really wonder if there's a story with Gillis too, though it seems to me that he cares about his own players.

 

The more I think about it, the more I think Vancouver is definitely one of the 'bad' teams.

 

Edit: I realize now that AV did not actually employ shotblocking nearly as much as I thought.

 

Lehner clarified that he wasn't accusing AV of pushing pills.  He was alluding at how he treated players.  Friedman on his 31 Thoughts podcast also mentioned that issue between AV and players.

 

 

[iinatcc]

10 hours ago, Dazzle said:

Unfortunately, since AV has been outed by Lehner, and that AV was one of our longer-lasting coaches, I'm not surprised if the Vancouver Canucks are the one team that has been handing out drugs like Toradol and Ambien.

Yeah thinking about this. Do people remember Kesler's interview saying that Gillis hired sleep doctors. Would it be possible that the sleep doctor also recommended this to Gillis and AV? 

[IBatch]

11 hours ago, Coconuts said:

Dude's a meathead, but he's worth taking seriously on a topic like this. As someone who's career relied on throwing down and being physical, particularly as a fringe guy, it'd likely be a part of his lived experience. Kesler having spoken up about it in the past just makes it more concrete for me. 

 

 

Wow.   That's really an awful thing to say.    The NHL is no small thing and for sure he's not the first player to speak out about this.   Not that long ago Avery also talked about Torodal.   It's a massive influx of anti-inflammatory and if your in pain it makes you feel invincible.   It all washes away.   Anyone who's ever been in a fight knows ... not much pain during it - the adrenaline takes over - but after you notice it.   Always felt Sestito held back on purpose a little like Chara in his bouts.   Guess you've never been in a fight so wouldn't understand. 

[bishopshodan]

It's sad.

I have always imagined this happens in most pro sports. Especially the one's with so much toil on the body.

So, it doesn't come as any surprise. We have lost a lot of enforcers in the NHL due to in part the mental health side effects of addiction. 

 

Hope they get it cleaned up. Responsibility needs to be owned at both the organisational and personal level. 

 

[bishopshodan]

4 minutes ago, IBatch said:

Wow.   That's really an awful thing to say.    The NHL is no small thing and for sure he's not the first player to speak out about this.   Not that long ago Avery also talked about Torodal.   It's a massive influx of anti-inflammatory and if your in pain it makes you feel invincible.   It all washes away.   Anyone who's ever been in a fight knows ... not much pain during it - the adrenaline takes over - but after you notice it.   Always felt Sestito held back on purpose a little like Chara in his bouts.   Guess you've never been in a fight so wouldn't understand. 

Huh?

I think I must have been doing it wrong. 

[buddhahoodlum]

While we do live in an age where it seems personal responsibility is lacking, were the players ever told of the dangers of taking these medications?

[Coconuts]

2 hours ago, IBatch said:

Wow.   That's really an awful thing to say.    The NHL is no small thing and for sure he's not the first player to speak out about this.   Not that long ago Avery also talked about Torodal.   It's a massive influx of anti-inflammatory and if your in pain it makes you feel invincible.   It all washes away.   Anyone who's ever been in a fight knows ... not much pain during it - the adrenaline takes over - but after you notice it.   Always felt Sestito held back on purpose a little like Chara in his bouts.   Guess you've never been in a fight so wouldn't understand. 

I'm at a loss as to where you think we're disagreeing. I literally said he's worth taking seriously when it comes to this subject and touched on Kesler speaking about his own medication related issues because of Toradal abuse.

Edited October 5, 2021 by Coconuts

[Monteeun]

14 hours ago, RWJC said:

It’s difficult to say who’s at fault in these situations. If you’re training staff, you look out for both the player’s health and future (even if they are a commodity) while balancing the team’s reliance and expectation on said player, as well as investment. If they are an integral piece and they are asking for something to help them with being banged up, or emotional/mental issues, or even if it’s just to get some rest and recuperation, it’s usually the player seeking out that help.

 

Easy to place blame on the staff but these are professional athletes who are also attempting to extend their careers for as long as possible, while managing the expectation they place on themselves, their agent has on them, as well as family/dependents.
 

From what I’ve seen and understood, it’s usually the players who are the ones initiating, and I’m sure in this day and age lines often do get blurred, but it’s not like the dressing rooms double as dispensaries or pharmacies. The onus shouldn’t just be placed on the staff.
 

If Tom Sestito received painkillers, it’s because he initially asked for them or something of the sort.

If he abused them, especially in his chosen role as enforcer, the role that (in lieu of advanced skill) he knew was going to keep him in the NHL and making a good salary, then it’s also his responsibility to realize and acknowledge on his own if he has a problem. He’s paid to do a job, and insurance covers him and the team if he’s unable. Hard for me to feel sorry for a grown man who is ultimately responsible for his own actions.
I’m sorry, I just don’t buy in to making someone else responsible

for your own shortcomings and/or weaknesses. I don’t care how it played out. He wouldn’t have been given medications if he didn’t assert that he felt they were helping him. To put it bluntly, he led the league in PIMs, with a ton of fighting majors. He accepted that role. No one forced him to play hockey.
 

Yes, addictions/dependencies absolutely need to be monitored closely, as do personal decisions. SOB, JV, Kassian are all examples of just some of the guys that the team tried to help out, but their own actions eventually derailed their own careers. I think the same applies when it comes to prescription drug abuse.

I was fortunate growing up in that my dad’s best friend was Larry Ashley, head trainer of the Nux for I think 13 or 14 years. I never use the term, but he truly was an amazing guy and the only “uncle” I’ve ever had. He afforded me the opportunity to really see the game behind the scenes. He allowed me to help out at two full Canucks training camps (plus LA’s first camp with 99) and it gave me real insight as to the relationships between staff and players, and between an individual player and themselves. 
 

My dad’s two other close friends were Ron Delorme and Joel Quenneville.

I’ve spent a lot of time with all 3 and I can say this much…when the game evolved out of the late 80s/early 90s from being a sport to becoming a business is when the players mentality changed. The financial opportunity has escalated so much that there is obviously far more at stake now. And like I said earlier, the longer you’re in the game, the more money you make, and that’s the prevailing ambition for most players even if it means numbing the pain along the way to do so (cortisone, painkillers, alcohol, etc). That is their choice. They can always quit hockey and choose health over profession, but more often than not it’s their own hubris that extends their careers.

 

I just hope in this cancel culture age where players are making these crazy amounts of money, folks are able to step back and realize that it’s a choice to become a pro athlete, not a mandate, and that for the most part it’s the individual’s decision on how to best manage their own self to achieve their goals.
 

Just because they are idolized doesn’t mean they’re exempt from making poor personal decisions, mismanaging the help or advice they are given, or being aware of and asking for help with their own character faults. 
 

Just my humble opinion. 

 

Its possible your "good" experience may have clouded your judgement. While players may have asked for meds, the dosage is most likely judged by the doctors. And it's quite possible sestito may have just trusted the team doctors. Just because you were allowed backstage to see the behind the scenes, doesn't mean that's how it usually goes. That could've been for your sake.

[bubba6]

Haven't we known this was an issue since Derek Boogaard's death?

[Ronaldoescobar]

19 hours ago, RWJC said:

 Toronto based media would have a field day riding this if the Canucks become the league scapegoat. 

While I would wager that all teams in all pro-sports are guilty. I can definitely see the league going into damage control and scapegoating the Canucks. 

[IBatch]

On 10/4/2021 at 11:21 PM, King Heffy said:

The list of teams not engaging in this kind of behaviour is going to be very short.

It seems Vegas is one of them unless Lehner is protecting them.    And PIT seems to have their sh!t together according to Sestito.   Avery talked about this over a decade ago and didn't get nearly the air time because nobody seems to remember or bring it up.   Maybe him and other former NHLers will join in and also starting shedding more light on this too.