Does the NHL have a Donnie Moore type of player/situation like Baseball did?

[Big Phil]

Okay, so Donnie Moore was the Angels pitcher in 1986 who allowed the home run by Dave Henderson in Game 5 of the 1986 ALCS. The Angels were literally one strike away from going to the World Series. To the point where the security was on the field getting ready to prevent the fans from jumping on the field of play. The score is 5-4 Angels over the Red Sox, and then BAM! Two run home run, 6-5 Red Sox. The Sox came back from down 5-2 that 9th inning, but the only batter Moore faced was Henderson. In other words, things happened before hand to get them in that situation. Long story short, the Angels actually tie it 6-6 in the bottom of the 9th. They have the bases loaded with one out and cannot cash in. Moore would have been the winning pitcher had they won. Eventually the Sox win in the 11th inning, while Moore is still pitching. Then they get bombed in Boston for Game 6 and 7. No World Series. Moore is looked at as being the scapegoat, which was not true. Mike Witt had allowed a two-run home run to Don Baylor that same 9th inning, Gary Lucas hit Rich Gedman in the head with two outs to put him on base and then Moore comes in to face Henderson who hits the two-strike home run.

As the story goes, Moore was already injured with his arm, and had a couple of lacklustre and injury filled seasons after that, in which the Angels fans let him have it. He had a wonderful season in 1985 and 1986, truly establishing himself as a great closer. But at home he was an abusive husband and once his baseball career came to a close he took it out on his wife, which according to her she always expected this to happen when things went south. In 1989 an argument ensued between the two of them and he grabbed a gun and shot her three times and then took his own life. She survived, but two of their kids witnessed their dad blow his head off.

So onto the point. Quite often that Henderson home run is pointed to as a moment where Moore's decline started that led to his horrible actions in 1989. If he gets one more strike on Henderson he saves the game - at home - and sends the Angels to the World Series. Instead he allowed a crushing home run that led to the eventual loss of the series. I am going to say here, that I can't say one way or another how much this home run impacted those final actions of his life. It didn't help, but a stronger person doesn't shoot their wife and then themselves over it either. Ralph Branca, Ralph Terry, Mitch Williams, heck, Dennis Eckersley while we're at it, all allowed some crushing home runs against them in the postseason that cost them a championship. So I won't say the home run caused it. I am just saying there is a timeline, one that the media often runs with, that at the very least shows the perception that this home run led to his demise.

So here is my question, who is the hockey equivalent in this situation? Who had a crushing moment happen to them in a big game only to have a horrible decline in their personal lives follow? Even leading to death?


There isn't one specific issue, but would Terry Sawchuk be the best example of this? By 1970 there wasn't a critical goal he allowed or anything, but he was getting older and perhaps a lot of build up led to his fight with a teammate that landed him in a BBQ pit and made him die of a blood clot. He too didn't have the best marriage, so to speak. Maybe there are other examples.

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[Yozhik v tumane]

Not sure of any remotely close equivalent.

Tommy Salo seemingly never having been able to live down the Salt Lake City brain fart, you might draw a red line between that and the anxiety issues he’s gone on record of having dealt with through alcohol abuse, which culminated in him drunk driving into a traffic barrier which gave him a two month prison sentence.

The other story that springs to mind would be “Spinner” Spencer’s father threatening the local tv station with a shotgun upon the realization that his son’s NHL debut with the Leafs would not be aired that night, and then being killed in a shootout with the police. Not equivalent, but you have the crushing moment of realizing he won’t be able to watch his son’s big game, and a very rapid decline in Spencer’s father’s personal life leading to death.

 

[Big Phil]

Not sure of any remotely close equivalent.

Tommy Salo seemingly never having been able to live down the Salt Lake City brain fart, you might draw a red line between that and the anxiety issues he’s gone on record of having dealt with through alcohol abuse, which culminated in him drunk driving into a traffic barrier which gave him a two month prison sentence.

The other story that springs to mind would be “Spinner” Spencer’s father threatening the local tv station with a shotgun upon the realization that his son’s NHL debut with the Leafs would not be aired that night, and then being killed in a shootout with the police. Not equivalent, but you have the crushing moment of realizing he won’t be able to watch his son’s big game, and a very rapid decline in Spencer’s father’s personal life leading to death.

I should know more about this story, but I didn't. That's unreal. His father demands that a local TV station play his son's game at gunpoint, which they apparently did. But at the end of the game the RCMP was waiting for him outside and there was a stand off and he was killed. Yeah, that's crazy. Then to see the life Brian Spencer had himself after that. He ends up dying in a crack cocaine robbery in 1988. 18 years after his father is shot as well. When a father AND a son get shot, then yes, something went wrong. I assume there was already instability in them before this, but good example of something like this in the sports world being the last cherry on top for them to snap.

My question is, and I am looking at this from a rational standpoint, there will be other times you see your son on TV, even in 1970, why not wait?

 

[Nick Hansen]

I should know more about this story, but I didn't. That's unreal. His father demands that a local TV station play his son's game at gunpoint, which they apparently did. But at the end of the game the RCMP was waiting for him outside and there was a stand off and he was killed. Yeah, that's crazy. Then to see the life Brian Spencer had himself after that. He ends up dying in a crack cocaine robbery in 1988. 18 years after his father is shot as well. When a father AND a son get shot, then yes, something went wrong. I assume there was already instability in them before this, but good example of something like this in the sports world being the last cherry on top for them to snap.

My question is, and I am looking at this from a rational standpoint, there will be other times you see your son on TV, even in 1970, why not wait?

LA Times wrote about the Spencer story, the dad was (a) drunk. I have to say I am somewhat both dumbfounded and impressed someone would find it in themselves to drive 70 miles while drunk.

Sports Legend Revealed: A father of an NHL player held up a TV station to force them to show his son's game

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links.

www.latimes.com

Doesn't end there as Brian Spencer's daughter and grandson died in a car accident in 1999:

In 1999, Spencer's daughter and grandson were killed in a car accident in Oklahoma.

Brian Spencer - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Just how much bad luck can you pack into one family?

---

Tommy Salo was also the first name I thought of. He's seemingly never gotten over the 2002 mistake against Belarus, he has spoken about it several times over the years. He was stupendously drunk when arrested a couple of years ago while driving under the influence:

On 11 August 2020, Salo crashed his car into the middle railing on the E18 highway, east of Köping, Sweden. Police arrived to the scene and found Salo sleeping in his car. A blood sample showed that Salo was heavily intoxicated with 3.06 ‰ alcohol in his blood stream. On 20 January 2021, Salo was convicted for aggravated drunken driving and sentenced to two months in prison.[7]

Tommy Salo - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Yozhik v tumane]

I should know more about this story, but I didn't. That's unreal. His father demands that a local TV station play his son's game at gunpoint, which they apparently did. But at the end of the game the RCMP was waiting for him outside and there was a stand off and he was killed. Yeah, that's crazy. Then to see the life Brian Spencer had himself after that. He ends up dying in a crack cocaine robbery in 1988. 18 years after his father is shot as well. When a father AND a son get shot, then yes, something went wrong. I assume there was already instability in them before this, but good example of something like this in the sports world being the last cherry on top for them to snap.

My question is, and I am looking at this from a rational standpoint, there will be other times you see your son on TV, even in 1970, why not wait?

The old man seems to have had a screw loose and a short fuse, and mental illness is often inherited.

 

[Moose Head]

Maybe Belosheikin:

In 1986 Belosheikin was named the outstanding goaltender of the 1986 IIHF World U20 Championships in Hamilton, Canada. During the tournament the U.S.S.R went undefeated, winning 7 games and surrendering only 14 goals. A year later he was also named the outstanding goaltender in the 1987 Calgary Cup, a pre-olympic tournament that took place just before the 1987 Canada Cup. On New Year's Eve 1986, Belosheikin led the Soviets to a 4-1 win over Canada. Belosheikin would end his international career on February 2, 1988 with a 4-1 win in an exhibition game against Finland.

Though he was considered the heir apparent to Vladislav Tretiak as the next great Soviet goaltender, Belosheikin suffered problems with alcoholism. After being drugged and robbed after a night of drinking with teammate Alexei Gusarov, he suffered liver and vision problems, which hastened the end of his career. In 1991 the Edmonton Oilers selected him in the 11th round, 232nd overall in the NHL Entry Draft, though Belosheikin reported to camp that year, he was immediately sent to the Oilers Cape Breton affiliate where he played only 3 games. Belosheikin never did play a game in the NHL.

Belosheikin committed suicide on November 18, 1999.

​

 

[Big Phil]

Maybe Belosheikin:

​

I thought of him as well. Granted, he wasn't in net for Lemieux's game 3 goal in the 1987 Canada Cup (that was Mylnikov) but he was in net for the double overtime clincher in Game 2. I don't know, there wasn't any sort of poor play on his part on that goal. The Soviets win against a very good team if they win in overtime, so there is that. He committed suicide in 1999. Did that goal lead to the alcoholism he eventually had? I don't know. Lots of Soviet players like Krutov seemed to have had this problem already.

I think it is possible the Tommy Salo situation is the closest hockey has to Donnie Moore. Salo played two more years after 2002, but was noticeably shaken up after the 2002 Olympics and the Belarus goal. It was just ugly. I think it dug at him mentally. He was still young in 2004, 33 years old, and certainly could have kept played. He was at the very least a serviceable goalie before that.

 

[Nerowoy nora tolad]

There isn't one specific issue, but would Terry Sawchuk be the best example of this? By 1970 there wasn't a critical goal he allowed or anything, but he was getting older and perhaps a lot of build up led to his fight with a teammate that landed him in a BBQ pit and made him die of a blood clot. He too didn't have the best marriage, so to speak. Maybe there are other examples.

Actually sort of

Sawchuk was always weird, which was sometimes thought to have been related to the whole incident with his older brother dying, and leaving him the goal pads at something like Bantam age or younger? Only a story referred from friends about an incident most of them werent there for

He probably would have been odd regardless, but it is kind of similar to the premise of your question

 

[Howie Hodge]

The other story that springs to mind would be “Spinner” Spencer’s father threatening the local tv station with a shotgun upon the realization that his son’s NHL debut with the Leafs would not be aired that night, and then being killed in a shootout with the police. Not equivalent, but you have the crushing moment of realizing he won’t be able to watch his son’s big game, and a very rapid decline in Spencer’s father’s personal life leading to death.

The Brian Spencer story always saddens me. Not only did he play for my hometown Sabres, but I met him once at a public appearance. Talked about dedication to one's craft, and staying focused. Mentioned his twin Brother Byron lacked that focus. Cool guy, signed some pics for me.

We know the Brian Spencer incident that he was acquitted of, and we know he couldn't stay away from that scene, and it cost him his life.

Byron is still alive, btw...

 

[tarheelhockey]

I suspect that if we looked closely at goalies, we would find some depressing story arcs. Of course, nothing on the order of Donnie Moore that I'm aware of. But it's a position that lends itself to a buildup of mental health issues.

 

[McGarnagle]

Completely different circumstances but I believe Clint Malarchuk attempted suicide on a few occasions after his injury.

Then there's the rash of players like Belak, Boogard, Montador, etc. who killed themselves after the brain trauma built up during their careers.

 

[Doctor No]

Corey Hirsch's story is perhaps not uncommon for goaltenders, but I'm glad that he shared it here:

Dark, Dark, Dark, Dark, Dark, Dark | By Corey Hirsch

I can still recall the exact moment that my brain started lying to me.

www.theplayerstribune.com

 

[Moose Head]

I thought of him as well. Granted, he wasn't in net for Lemieux's game 3 goal in the 1987 Canada Cup (that was Mylnikov) but he was in net for the double overtime clincher in Game 2. I don't know, there wasn't any sort of poor play on his part on that goal. The Soviets win against a very good team if they win in overtime, so there is that. He committed suicide in 1999. Did that goal lead to the alcoholism he eventually had? I don't know. Lots of Soviet players like Krutov seemed to have had this problem already.

I think it is possible the Tommy Salo situation is the closest hockey has to Donnie Moore. Salo played two more years after 2002, but was noticeably shaken up after the 2002 Olympics and the Belarus goal. It was just ugly. I think it dug at him mentally. He was still young in 2004, 33 years old, and certainly could have kept played. He was at the very least a serviceable goalie before that.

I think his issue was the pressure of being late teen/early 20’s and being anointed the heir to Tretiak. Too much pressure and he buckled.

Had the talent but not the mental toughness. By 88, at 22, he was done.

 

[Howie Hodge]

Completely different circumstances but I believe Clint Malarchuk attempted suicide on a few occasions after his injury.

Then there's the rash of players like Belak, Boogard, Montador, etc. who killed themselves after the brain trauma built up during their careers.

Yes. Clint had some issues prior to his gruesome injury.

The injury really set him back, which is of course understandable.

So we really don't know how his life would be sans the injury. I suspect it would still have it's peaks and valley's...

Clint's one of the good one's though, hopefully he's in a better place these days, and getting some enjoyment from life.

 

[Big Phil]

Would Valeri Kharlamov be a good example here? Told he would not be on the 1981 Canada Cup team due to his conditioning. Obviously devastated. It makes me wonder just how much he was affected by that, because when he was killed in the car crash just a couple weeks before the Soviets won the 1981 Canada Cup, his wife was driving, despite not having a driver's licence I believe. Makes me think he was beyond distraught at that time. If he's driving he is likely still alive today and would be 74. So that had a bit of a ripple effect to it.

 

[buffalowing88]

Completely different circumstances but I believe Clint Malarchuk attempted suicide on a few occasions after his injury.

Then there's the rash of players like Belak, Boogard, Montador, etc. who killed themselves after the brain trauma built up during their careers.

I feel like I've heard this, too, but there's not much besides the one incident in 2008 I can find any news about. Not that I'm trying to pry too much, just feel like it's been reported that he is very much still dealing with these issues.

I remember how scary the situation for the NHL was after the concussion-related suicides or just deaths by other circumstances all started piling up around 2011. I don't know that I'd include them in this context since that was due to traumatic brain injuries rather than something more psychological, but still awful to think about.

Stephen Peat stands out in this case and I cannot for the life of me place who it was but there was a Western Conference guy, pretty well-known player, I just don't remember who, who said he was driving way over the speed limit and stopping right at the guard rail a few times wondering when he'd fail to hit the brakes and just go over. Like he thought it was inevitable. It was in a big feature right after concussions finally got some attention during this period and it frightened the hell out of me.