On Dec. 28, the Ottawa Senators announced that Swedish netminder Linus Ullmark, was taking a leave of absence from the organization for personal reasons.

Senators general manager Steve Staios, indicated that the club fully supported their goaltender’s decision. He advised that no further comments would be made regarding the situation.

We’ve witnessed numerous NHL players briefly step away from the game to address substance abuse issues, and mental health issues.

Any time a player steps away from their profession to seek assistance, unsubstantiated rumours and gossip come to the forefront. Fans immediately state that the player has substance abuse issues, without having any knowledge whatsoever about the person’s off ice actions.

Yes, players have hit the pause button on their careers to legitimately cope with substance abuse issues. However, they have also walked away from the best hockey league in the world, to receive assistance for mental health issues,........

© Peterborough Examiner