"They're monsters" - Ex-NHL goalie slams league's player assistance program

Former NHL goalie Scott Darling has publicly criticized the League/NHLPA assistance program, expressing dissatisfaction with the support he received during his struggles with alcoholism.

Darling, who played for the Chicago Blackhawks and Carolina Hurricanes, retired from professional hockey and transitioned into a career as a stand-up comic.

In a recent appearance on the ALLCITY Network’s “What Chaos” podcast, he got candid about his perspective on the league's assistance program.

Darling, who won a Stanley Cup with the Blackhawks in 2015, believes that he did not receive adequate help from the League and the NHLPA during the early days of his career, when he faced alcohol-related challenges.

He won a total of 112 games over five seasons, but also faced personal battles off the ice. Notably, the player was open about his dismissal from the University of Maine team during his sophomore year which culminated in a low point in the Southern Professional Hockey League in 2010.

In his podcast interview, Darling expressed disillusionment with the League/NHLPA assistance program, stating:

“I’ve told players — what I went through — if you need help, do it on your own. Don’t ever go through the PA. And I’ll say that honestly, I hope you guys fu**ing hear this: they’re monsters. Go somewhere else. They can hold you, like, try and break your contract, stuff like that."

Former NHL goalie Scott Darling exposes flaws in League's player assistance program

The former goalie went on to criticize the people involved in the program, referring to them as "really bad people" and advising current players to seek help independently rather than relying on the league's support system.

He alleged that he was imprisoned in an attempt to break his contract, highlighting what he perceives as an inadequacy of the assistance provided by the League and NHLPA.

“You need people who actually want to help the players,” Darling emphasized. “There have been tons of players who have had to go through a program or anything like that. If you can’t trust the people who are trying to help you, why the f–k would you go through there?”

The ex-goalie concluded with a cautionary message to current players dealing with similar issues and said:

“I’m not going to talk about the nightmare situation I had on here, but I will say, if any players are listening: go by yourself. You have insurance, go outside, don’t let anyone in the NHL know you’re doing this. You get graced leave … don’t go through the PA… they’re terrible people.”

Scott Darling’s outspoken criticism raises questions about the effectiveness and integrity of the League/LeaguePA assistance program and sheds light on the challenges faced by players seeking support for mental health and addiction issues within the league.