Bobby Ryan will be away from the Ottawa Senators indefinitely after entering the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program, the league announced today. This is the same program that Micheal Haley entered last fall when he was with the Florida Panthers. It is designed to help players and their families treat health issues, including substance abuse. Senators GM Pierre Dorion released a short statement through Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia:
Bobby is an important member of the Ottawa Senators family and he has our full support as he tends to this matter.
Neither the league or union will comment further on Ryan’s leave, but immediately after the announcement social media was full of support for the veteran forward.
Ryan, 32, has just four points this season and was made a healthy scratch at one point, a far cry from his dominating 30+ goal seasons with the Anaheim Ducks at the beginning of his career. PHR wishes him the best and hopes he gets whatever assistance is needed.
Don’t think they should be allowed to announce this type of thing. Should instead be press release that player has some kind of phantom injury and will be away from team
sadly its hard to hide these things nowadays. i agree, that’s how it should be, but no one ever seems to eager to keep it that way.
Because the best thing for players is for them to think that they have to keep it a secret that they needed treatment? Or that future players aren’t aware of any other players who have undergone treatment in the past?
You understand how both of these motivations would keep players from trying to get treatment? That people who would respect them more if they didn’t need/get treatment might say things like ‘This should be kept quiet ‘.
Perhaps if they had as much sympathy and support as a player who undergoes a major surgery after a sports injury, where he faces a long and difficult rehab to perform again, perhaps then the social pressure wouldn’t be as far into a negative balance as it is. Believing things like substance abuse, or mental health are not to be shared and accepted with support is why people suffering do not seek support. Any other avenue than the one that can not be accepted is what they will seek.
That’s sad.
well said
Good luck Bobby
Random question for Sens fans…is Logan Brown that good or has Colin White been that bad? Or both? Brown seems to have taken the #1 C job.
Both. And dude, you were right a couple weeks ago about their best center to date in Pageau. Could’ve had him for a steal at the time.