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Carey Price seeking help signals changing narrative around mental health – Global News

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In the wake of Carey Price‘s decision to step away from hockey and seek assistance, there has been widespread support for the star goalie of the Montreal Canadiens — and marks what appears to be a shift in addressing mental health in the world of professional and amateur sports.

Dr. Gordon Bloom, a professor of sports psychology at McGill University, said it is a change from the old narrative that athletes must “always suck it up, be a tough guy” even when they need help or don’t feel well.

“I think it’s going to send a message that will reverberate from the NHL all the way down to minor hockey,” he told Global News.

Price is voluntarily entering the NHL’s player assistance program, though few details were provided about what was behind the decision. The 34-year-old has not spoken publicly since the news was announced, but his wife penned a supportive message, citing mental health as the reason for Price’s temporary absence from the net.

READ MORE: Montreal Canadiens’ Carey Price voluntarily enters player assistance program

Habs’ general manager Marc Bergevin told reporters Thursday he was caught off guard, but he encouraged others to seek aid when necessary. “Better days are ahead for Carey,” he added.

After teammate Jonathan Drouin took time away last season and now with Price seeking assistance, Bloom compared the evolving perspectives around mental health to how conversations changed about concussions in the NHL.

He pointed to how Sidney Crosby stepping off the ice to recover from repeated concussions propelled professional sports organizations and athletes to recognize the severity of head injuries.


Click to play video: 'How Carey Price is paving the way for other athletes'



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How Carey Price is paving the way for other athletes


How Carey Price is paving the way for other athletes

The fact that sports leagues and governing bodies now also offer assistance programs has made it easier for athletes to be comfortable revealing they are experiencing something that needs to be addressed, Bloom explained.

“In the past, they were afraid to say it — because of the stigma, the negative stigma that was associated with saying you’re struggling, you’re not tough, your mental health is weak,” Bloom said.

“We’re really trying to change that narrative and we’re well on our way.”

Price has been known for his stoic demeanor over his long career with the Habs. He has racked up Vezina, Jennings, Ted Lindsay and Hart Memorial trophies. He has also helped carry Canada to Olympic gold.

It’s a positive step forward in discussing mental health if Price — who is considered one of the best goaltenders in modern-day hockey — is able to hit pause, said Bloom.

“It doesn’t come much bigger, more pressure-packed than that and he’s saying ‘I need to step away,’” Bloom said.

Read more:
Canadian goalkeeper Stephanie Labbe shares mental health struggles during Tokyo Olympics

‘We just wish him the best’

Habs players only had messages of support for Price amid his sudden departure.

“Our families are close and it’s tough when you really judge a book by its cover,” said defencemen Jeff Petry.

“He’s a guy that comes in every day and you think everything’s OK and it’s unfortunate that it got to a point. We just wish him the best.”

Goaltender Jake Allen, who will likely step in for Price as the new season gets underway, said he already reached out to Price directly.


Montreal Canadiens defenceman Jeff Petry (26) celebrates with goalie Carey Price.

The team is supportive of “Carey Price, the human being,” Allan told reporters after a pre-season game against Ottawa Senators.

“The hockey player can wait as long as it takes to get whatever he needs to get his feet back under him,” Allan said. “That’s all we’re caring about in this locker room.”

“Hockey is secondary in this aspect.”

Price’s decision has made waves in the NHL too, with Toronto Maple Leafs captain John Tavares describing him as a “world-class netminder” and saying he wishes Price nothing but the best.

Read more:
Anxiety and insomnia drove Canadiens star Jonathan Drouin to take break from hockey

Former goalie Corey Hirsch also chimed in, saying he was “extremely proud” of Price.

“I hope more players feel safer to get help,” Hirsch wrote on Twitter. “I thank everyone on here that is showing Carey love and support. That’s how we will create change.”

If you or someone you know is in crisis and needs help, resources are available. In case of an emergency, please call 9-1-1 for immediate help.

Crisis Services Canada’s toll-free helpline provides 24-7 support at 1-833-456-4566. Residents of Quebec can call 1-866-277-3553.

With files from Global News’ Dan Spector and The Canadian Press

© 2021 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

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DeMar DeRozan scores 27 points to lead the Kings past the Raptors 122-107

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SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — DeMar DeRozan scored 27 points in a record-setting performance and the Sacramento Kings beat the Toronto Raptors 122-107 on Wednesday night.

Domantas Sabonis added 17 points, 13 assists and 11 rebounds for his third triple-double of the season for Sacramento. He shot 6 for 6 from the field and 5 for 5 at the free-throw line.

Keegan Murray chipped in with 22 points and 12 rebounds, and De’Aaron Fox scored 21.

The 35-year-old DeRozan has scored at least 20 points in each of his first eight games with the Kings, breaking a franchise mark established by Chris Webber when he reached 20 in his first seven games with Sacramento in 1999.

DeRozan spent the past three seasons with the Chicago Bulls. The six-time All-Star also has played for Toronto and San Antonio during his 16-year NBA career.

RJ Barrett had 23 points to lead the Raptors. Davion Mitchell scored 20 in his first game in Sacramento since being traded to Toronto last summer.

Takeaways

Raptors: Toronto led for most of the first three quarters before wilting in the fourth. The Raptors were outscored 33-14 in the final period.

Kings: Fox played strong defense but struggled again shooting from the floor as he is dealing with a finger injury. Fox went 5 for 17 and just 2 of 8 on 3-pointers. He is 5 for 25 from beyond the arc in his last three games.

Key moment

The Kings trailed 95-89 early in the fourth before going on a 9-0 run that gave them the lead for good. DeRozan started the spurt with a jumper, and Malik Monk scored the final seven points.

Key stat

Sabonis had the eighth game in the NBA since at least 1982-83 with a triple-double while missing no shots from the field or foul line. The previous player to do it was Josh Giddey for Oklahoma City against Portland on Jan. 11.

Up next

Raptors: At the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday night, the third stop on a five-game trip.

Kings: Host the Clippers on Friday night.

___

AP NBA:

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Whitecaps take confidence, humility into decisive playoff matchup vs. LAFC

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VANCOUVER – The Vancouver Whitecaps are one win away from moving on to the next round of the Major League Soccer playoffs.

To get there, however, the Whitecaps will need to pull off the improbable by defeating the powerhouse Los Angeles FC for a second straight game.

Vancouver blanked the visitors 3-0 on Sunday to level their best-of-three first-round playoff series at a game apiece. As the matchup shifts back to California for a decisive Game 3 on Friday, the Whitecaps are looking for a repeat performance, said striker Brian White.

“We take the good and the bad from last game, learn from what we could have done better and go to LAFC with confidence and, obviously, with a whole lot of respect,” he said.

“We know that we can go there and give them a very good fight and hopefully come away with a win.”

The winner of Friday’s game will face the No. 4-seed Seattle Sounders in a one-game Western Conference semifinal on Nov. 23 or 24.

The ‘Caps finished the regular season eighth in the west with a 13-13-8 record and have since surprised many with their post-season play.

First, Vancouver trounced its regional rivals, the Portland Timbers, 5-0 in a wild-card game. Then, the squad dropped a tightly contested 2-1 decision to the top-seeded L.A. before posting a decisive home victory on Sunday.

Vancouver has scored seven goals this post-season, second only to the L.A. Galaxy (nine). Vancouver also leads the league in expected goals (6.84) through the playoffs.

No one outside of the club expected the Whitecaps to win when the Vancouver-L. A. series began, said defender Ranko Veselinovic.

“We’ve shown to ourselves that we can compete with them,” he said.

Now in his fifth season with the ‘Caps, Veselinovic said Friday’s game will be the biggest he’s played for the team.

“We haven’t had much success in the playoffs so, definitely, this is the one that can put our season on another level,” he said.

This is the second year in a row the Whitecaps have faced LAFC in the first round of the playoffs and last year, Vancouver was ousted in two straight games.

The team isn’t thinking about revenge as it prepares for Game 3, White said.

“More importantly than (beating LAFC), we want to get to the next round,” he said. “LAFC’s a very good team. We’ve come up against them a number of times in different competitions and they always seem to get the better of us. So it’d be huge for us to get the better of them this time.”

Earning a win last weekend required slowing L.A.’s transition game and limiting offensive opportunities for the team’s big stars, including Denis Bouanga.

Those factors will be important again on Friday, said Whitecaps head coach Vanni Sartini, who warned that his team could face a different style of game.

“I think the most important thing is going to be to match their intensity at the beginning of the game,” he said. “Because I think they’re going to come at us a million miles per hour.”

The ‘Caps will once again look to captain Ryan Gauld for some offensive firepower. The Scottish attacking midfielder leads MLS in playoff goals with five and has scored in all three of Vancouver’s post-season appearances this year.

Gearing up for another do-or-die matchup is exciting, Gauld said.

“Knowing it’s a winner-takes-all kind of game, being in that kind of environment is nice,” he said. “It’s when you see the best in players.”

LAFC faces the bulk of the pressure heading into the matchup, Sartini said, given the club’s appearances in the last two MLS Cup finals and its 2022 championship title.

“They’re supposed to win and we are not,” the coach said. “But it’s beautiful to have a little bit of pressure on us, too.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 6, 2024.

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PWHL unveils game jerseys with new team names, logos

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TORONTO – The Professional Women’s Hockey League has revealed the jersey designs for its six newly named teams.

Each PWHL team operated under its city name, with players wearing jerseys featuring the league’s logo in its inaugural season before names and logos were announced last month.

The Toronto Sceptres, Montreal Victoire, Ottawa Charge, Boston Fleet, Minnesota Frost and New York Sirens will start the PWHL’s second season on Nov. 30 with jerseys designed to reflect each team’s identity and to be sold to the public as replicas.

Led by PWHL vice-president of brand and marketing Kanan Bhatt-Shah, the league consulted Creative Agency Flower Shop to design the jerseys manufactured by Bauer, the PWHL said Thursday in a statement.

“Players and fans alike have been waiting for this moment and we couldn’t be happier with the six unique looks each team will don moving forward,” said PWHL senior vice president of business operations Amy Scheer.

“These jerseys mark the latest evolution in our league’s history, and we can’t wait to see them showcased both on the ice and in the stands.”

Training camps open Tuesday with teams allowed to carry 32 players.

Each team’s 23-player roster, plus three reserves, will be announced Nov. 27.

Each team will play 30 regular-season games, which is six more than the first season.

Minnesota won the first Walter Cup on May 29 by beating Boston three games to two in the championship series.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 7, 2024.

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