Former NHL Goalie Calls Player Assistance Program "Monsters"

Former NHL Goalie Scott Darling called out the NHLPA Player Assistance Program, calling the group "monsters". Responding when asked about the program on the Hockey Podcast 'What Chaos', Darling, appearing visibly upset, said that he recommended no player enter the program, saying that any player seeking help should do so on their own means, and to not trust the NHLPA.

The NHL Player Assistance Program was previously run during Darling's NHL career by longtime PA leader Donald Fehr, who also spent years in the same position with Major League Baseball. The current executive director is former Secretary of Labor and Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, appointed in early 2023, a different leadership group than when Darling played between 2014-2019.

Multiple players have continued to use the Player Assistance Program, including Panthers Goaltender Spencer Knight, who got help from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), and in recent days Avalanche Defenseman Samuel Girard entered the program to get support for his mental health.

Darling, 34, spent 5 NHL seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks and Carolina Hurricanes, with a 54-42-18 record. Darling won the Stanley Cup in 2015, playing 5 games with a 3-1-0 record as the backup to Corey Crawford.