RIP Belak. This was more shocking than Rypien, Ryp always was the quite one who kept to himself most times and did have personal issues having to take leaves of absences from the team. Belak always seemed like a really well adjusted, outgoing, humorous and happy individual. He had a young family as well
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Originally Posted by Hondaracer
he was gonna work with preds radio crew, also was going to be on battle of the blades, which was in pre-filiming which was also why he was in Toronto
they always talk about how much these "tough guys" must go through to make it in the NHL and the demons, but fuck really how hard could it possibly be? is it really that mentally taxing to be an "enforcer" ? or is it just the physical pain and subsequent painkiller meds that put these guys in this spot
looking from the outside life cant be all that bad for a guy making a nice 6 figure salary for a good chunk of time with a reasonably bright future ahead of them.
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Over the years, I've been lucky enough to meet and become friends with several former and current NHLers, having chatted about stuff like this with some of them. Without naming names, I'm hoping I could provide some insight and understanding.
First thing to keep in mind is that for the majority of pro hockey enforcers, none of them wanted to have to be a fighter for a living. Most of them do it out of necessity to make it to or to keep a job in the NHL. These guys aren't boxers or MMA athletes that chose to fight for a living and have that mind sight of wanting/loving to fight.
Most hockey enforcers get extremely nervous about having to fight, some even for days before playing another team where they know they will be expected to drop the gloves against that teams enforcers. Knowing you have to fight to keep your job in the NHL but not wanting to fight takes a toll on these guys mentally. A lot of these guys turn to drugs and or alcohol to deal with this, which in some cases can lead to substance abuse. Substance abuse and not wanting to fight but having to, can certainly alter ones personalty negatively and/or result in personal demons. Some might be thinking, that no one is forcing these guys to be a hockey player for a living, but for most, it is the only way they know how to support themselves and their loved ones. For some, their whole identity and all they know is to be a hockey player.
Before this next point, let me first say that I have no issue with fighting in hockey and am not one of those advocating for it to be taken out of hockey, I've been in a number of fights in my personal/professional life and constantly train in boxing and various MMA disciplines, but unlike boxing or MMA, fighting in hockey is bare knuckle, no gloves, bare knuckle shots hurt. Most people would be surprised the amount of pro athletes who abuse the use of oxy to help deal with the pain of just playing hockey for a living, now imagine the amount of oxy an enforcer feels he needs. Repeated bare knuckle blows to your head can result in concussions, which in a lot of cases of former NHLers and NFLers have lead to an onset of depression. Some individuals just can't deal with depression or drug abuse well and maybe in the cases of Rypien and Belak, saw no other way out but suicide.