Austin Watson has been placed in Stage 2 of the NHL/NHLPA Substance Abuse/Behavioral Health Program

[Kamiccolo]

Click to read more...

 

[Gains]

Hope he can find the strength to get through this. Wishing him well.

 

[780il]

Hope he gets the help he needs

 

[LeafGrief]

Getting suspended without pay seems like a pretty big disincentive for a rehab program.

Hope he gets the help he needs.

 

[Filthy Dangles]

I am confused. Did a failed drug test trigger this? I thought alcohol and other recreation drugs didn't fall into this sort of suspendable category...?

 

[The Camera Eye]

Wish Watson all the best

 

[Drake744]

I am confused. Did a failed drug test trigger this? I thought alcohol and other recreation drugs didn't fall into this sort of suspendable category...?

Yeah I don't know. My guess is it's something related to last summer's legal issues. My first thought was that if it was just him going to rehab so to speak, fine, but why is it labeled a suspension?

 

[NoNecksCurse]

Getting suspended without pay seems like a pretty big disincentive for a rehab program.

Hope he gets the help he needs.

this was my thoughts as well.

without pay is something every potential future client of the program will take note of it. i hope watson gets better.

 

[koyvoo]

Poor kid.

Even as a million dollar athlete, addiction can be fully destructive. Hope he finds the support needed and works through this.

 

[Darcy Tucker]

You must be doing alot of alcohol to get suspended for it. Weird story.

 

[jw2]

this was my thoughts as well.

without pay is something every potential future client of the program will take note of it. i hope watson gets better.

The last thing someone with a “substance abuse” thinks about is if he gets paid during his suspension

 

[Scott Stevens]

Gotta be Jack.

 

[Mike Jones]

Yeah - I'd like to hear more about the suspension without pay rationale. I wonder if it's because an addiction isn't considered an actual hockey injury.

The suspension itself may stem from his legal troubles and that's where the "Behavioral Health" part of the program comes in.

 

[Loosie]

Predators' Watson suspended, enters stage two of substance abuse program - Sportsnet.ca

It for continued issues with alcohol abuse.

 

[heysmilinstrange]

What is Stage Two, and how many stages are there? I tried to Google this but couldn't find much.

 

[bdub24]

Gotta be Jack.

Good for you

 

[Preds Partisan]

What is Stage Two, and how many stages are there? I tried to Google this but couldn't find much.

There isn't any "public" info because it's a confidential program. The treatment program is built around each individual's needs.

 

[TheFerenceWheel]

Josh Gordon pulling up a chair for Watson at his table

 

[Scott Stevens]

Good for you

?

 

[MMC]

Get him out of the league

 

[DrewGl]

This seems strange to me. Common knowledge that hockey players like to drink a lot. Something else had to trigger this. Was he showing up drunk to practice/games?

 

[bdub24]

?

You were attempting to be funny. You weren't.

 

[MapleLeafs9]

I thought he said he and his girlfriend were sober now in a statement like 2 weeks ago?

 

[Armourboy]

Hopefully he gets his life back in order and can fix whatever demons are affecting him, whether that be alcohol or some other underlying mental issue no one is privy too.

 

[Drake744]

This seems strange to me. Common knowledge that hockey players like to drink a lot. Something else had to trigger this. Was he showing up drunk to practice/games?

Unlike Jordin Tootoo (successful recovery story), I've never heard anything like that. With Tootoo it was kinda common knowledge in some circles here that he was doing things like that. Maybe not drunk at practice but just.....stuff. He was nuts. Watson, I don't recall hearing that.