Maple Leafs prospect Nikita Grebyonkin speaks up on his substance use in KHL playoffs
Nikita Grebyonkin, a promising prospect of the Toronto Maple Leafs, spoke up about his substance use in the KHL playoffs.
It's no secret that athletes often push through injuries during playoffs to help their team go all the way.
Grebyonkin, who's set to play his first season in North America, played with a shoulder and a lower body injury in the last KHL playoffs. However, that didn't stop him from having an important role with the Metallurg Magnitogorsk's Gagarin Cup-winning run.
In a recent interview, the forward revealed that he took painkillers to numb the pain during games, like many of his teammates:
"I wasn't the only one who played in the playoffs while taking painkillers and risking my health. Many of our guys had serious injuries. Everyone was determined to win. Although the pills helped to numb the pain, it wasn't complete relief. My shoulder was aching, but the main injury was in my lower body."
This could be concerning for some fans, as multiple players have struggled with substance abuse problems in the past.
Grebyonkin will likely have a bright future in the NHL, and it would be terrible to see substance use coming in the way of that.
Fortunately, things seem to be better for him, as he pursued his recovery in Toronto, with the Leafs coaching and medical staff.
"I'm currently in the recovery process. In Toronto, the coaches and medical staff are watching me closely. They give me constant guidance on training, provide nutrition advice, and tell me what to avoid. All I can focus on right now is practicing and getting back in shape. The main thing is that everything is fine with my health."
Players don't often talk openly about using painkillers to the media, and it'll be interesting to see if Grebyonkin's declaration motivates other players to speak up on that topic.
Source: Hockey News Hub
Update on Nikita Grebyonkin
Update on Nikita Grebyonkin
| POLL | ||
17 AOUT | 88 ANSWERS Maple Leafs prospect Nikita Grebyonkin speaks up on his substance use in KHL playoffs Do you think Nikita Grebyonkin made a mistake by speaking up about his substance use to the media? | ||
| Yes | 43 | 48.9 % |
| No | 45 | 51.1 % |
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