A private funeral will be held in Nashville this weekend for a former Predator who appears to have taken his own life. The hockey world has lost three players in a matter of months. The National Hockey League is reviewing whether there’s more it should do to help.
The circumstance of each death is unique, but the NHL says in a statement the “tragic events cannot be ignored.”
This week, former Nashville Predator Wade Belak was found dead in a Toronto hotel room. The Associated Press reports he hanged himself. Winnipeg Jets forward Rick Rypien died last month after a well-documented battle with depression. New York Ranger Derek Boogaard’s death in May was ruled accidental, but the cause was a toxic mix of alcohol and oxycodone.
All three players were considered “enforcers” on the ice – big hitters, quick to drop their gloves and throw a punch.
Assistance programs already exist, but the NHL and its player association is now looking at “concrete steps” that could improve player welfare.
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