It’s sometimes hard to imagine NHL players as anything but heroes. Iron warriors who play our national game, men who are imperious to the downfalls of life. They don’t deal with the same turmoil average people do. They don’t have to wake up every morning and drag themselves off to a job they hate for the sole purpose of survival. They’ve never got dumped and left heartbroken. They’ve never lost a loved one or been in an accident or suffered unspeakable trauma. Or have they?
The answer is simple: Of course they have – and do.
Theo Fleury’s Accuses Coach Of Sexual Abuse
Former Calgary Flames star Theo Fleury has accused his junior hockey coach Graham James of sexual abuse in his new autobiography “Playing With Fire” set to hit book stores next week.
James was jailed in 1997 after admitting to sexually abusing two players on his junior hockey team - one being ex-NHL player, Sheldon Kennedy, a teammate of Fleury’s in Calgary. There has been wide speculation that Fleury was in fact James’ other victim, but Fleury refused to discuss the matter at the time. Fleury retired from the NHL in 2003 as he battled drug and alcohol abuse.
Mike Danton – David Frost Saga
Mike Danton, former St. Louis Blues player was involved in one of the most high-profile and downright bizarre off-ice stories that the league has ever seen. David Frost, Danton’s former agent was allegedly very controlling over Danton and encouraged him to estrange himself from his parents. There was speculation of a homosexual relationship between the two as well as an alleged incident where Frost and a group of his players abused Mike's younger brother. Danton was arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit murder. He pled guilty to attempting to hire a hitman to murder Frost. To this day, however, Frost denies that he was the target. Danton serves 62 months in prison and was release on parole on September 11, 2009. Danton’s father, Steve Jefferson still blames Frost for manipulating and brainwashing his son.
Peter Zezel’s Battle With Hemolytic Anemia
In 1991, former Toronto Maple Leaf Zezel almost died of the rare blood disorder called hemolytic anemia. At the time he made a full recovery, but in 2009 his condition worsened and and had his spleen removed as part of his treatment. Shortly after his spleen-removal surgery, Zezel began complaining of serious headaches. Roughly 12 hours later, he (once again) went under the knife, during which time surgeons had found hemorrhaging in his brain. He slowly lapsed into a coma, and was placed on life-support once his organs began to fail. Zezel wanted to donate his organs, so his family made the decision to remove him from life support before they were rendered useless.
Nobody blames NHL players for keeping their personal life quiet, as each one of us does the exact same thing. Whether it be at work, with friends or even amoung family - some things just aren't made for public consumption.
Fleury’s account of abuse isn’t the first, and it certainly will not be the last time an NHL player will find himself in the spotlight for situations pertaining to matters off the ice. It’s unfortunate, but until something drastic happens, fans seem to neglect the fact that their favorite players go home to their wives, girlfriends and boyfriends. They have barbeques and Halloween parties. They cry watching movies, go grocery shopping and worry that they might be going bald. There must have been players who experienced being picked on as a child, being hurt by a member of the opposite sex, had a wife or girlfriend suffer through an early pregnancy loss, lost a parent at a young age or discover lumps in places they aren’t suppose to be. Hockey players are not immune to hurt. They are human just like everyone else.
God bless you Theo Fleury for coming forward about your past, your fans everywhere are in your corner.
