Big Phil said:
Just on a serious note does anyone know any Hockey players who suffered from depression at any time? I know Ron Ellis is the most famous case of that I believe. I'm not sure if it was during his playing career with the Leafs or not, but I know after Hockey he went through depression (who wouldnt if your playing under Harold Ballard). In fact he's spoken publicly on that several times and I can remember a recent commercial he did regarding two big accomplishments in his life, one was winning the Stanley Cup and the other was beating clinical depression. Then he picked up the certificate he got for beating depression and said: "this one by far was the toughest."
Terry Sawchuk is another one that comes to mind, of course during his playing career he was often known as moody and isolated. Marcel Pronovost once said he was like that so he didnt have to deal with people, that way they kept their distance. I've heard it was bad nerves that Sawchuk had.
Not sure why some players go into depression, I guess they are just like anyone else, but I would think the causes might be that after Hockey they dont have anything to do, or that even with the money they make they still cant find happiness
I am reading Jim Jackson's
"Walking Together Forever" book, about the members of the Flyers' Stanley Cup winning teams. He mentions each player in a chapter dedicated to their careers, the days that followed their retirement and their current occupations. Seems like a few players went through "What do I do now?" phase and some had it worse than others like
Reggie Leach and his bout(s) with alcohol. Leach is now a successful landscaper.
Bill "Cowboy" Flett, who is now deceased (1999, liver transplant), was involved in an auto accident while playing with the Oilers (79-80 season) that left his son physically and mentally damaged (his son did eventually perform and win the giant slalom and downhill in the Special Olympics).
Gary Dornhoefer mentions wanting to "drive his car into a wall" when his wife asked for a divorce. He went to Australia for a month to cool off. He eventually remarried and he shares a love of animals with his current wife (they are active in a Greyhound Assoc. and have multiple pets).
Rick MacLeish (heart attack and diabetes) eventually remarried after a divorce and is now a grandfather which helps keep him balanced.
Bill Clement (who says all he had left financially was 40 $100 bills stashed away) went through serious bouts of uncertainty and a friend recommended a book called
"Think and Grow Rich" which Clement says altered his life for the better. In December 1990,
Ed Van Impe's daughter died in a car crash and Van Impe maintains that he was drunk every day for the next three years but was aided when his wife contacted the Flyers' team doctor who recommended detox.