We still don’t officially know why or how former NHLer Steve Montador died back in February, but this video from former Flyer Dan Carcillo, via the Players’ Tribune, gives some insight from a close friend into who Montador was as a person and into problems that plagued him late in life.
“Monty went through some really trying times, and I got to see it first-hand. That lockout year he had suffered a concussion and then the team had put him on waivers, and he didn’t take it very well. I think he was really worried about the future.”
Carcillo also talked about the NHLPA’s “exit program” for players who leave the game — whether that’s voluntary or, as it usually goes, not voluntary — and how it’s insufficient.
“So after Monty died, I really did some research, kind of asking guys that had already moved on and that I had played with if they knew what our exit program was for the NHLPA and I was kind of astonished to find out that not one guy can tell me what it was.
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I don’t think it’s right. It doesn’t feel right for how much we give to this league and this sport. Sacrificing our bodies, sacrificing our minds with the concussions and the hits that we take.”
So what does Carcillo want to happen? How does he think we can stop what happened to Steve Montador from happening to other former NHL players?
“My hope is that it helps somebody and it opens the right eyes and people get in contact with our PA or with each other and we can try to create something that’s going to help athletes figure out what they’re good at and what they want to do next in life. Steve, this past year, was trying to figure that out. I wish he had because I think it would have eased his mind. I think if he had the right help that he would still be here with us.”
