Robin Lehner alleges widespread Benzodiazepine abuse in NHL

[bluejays]

It's gotta be the culture around this whole thing though. It's a high living lifestyle as an athlete, and with the added complication of physical pain, this is a shock to no one. You don't think all the guys covering the sport don't know about it? It's a cash train at every level and Lehner just broke the unwritten rule of not talking about it. Now the NHL will be forced to "investigate" and every journalist will pretend like this is breaking news when they didn't report on it to keep the gravy train running for themselves. I always like when players like Lehner speak up about it when they have little to gain and everything to lose.

[PugnaciousIntern]

Unfortunately not terribly shocking. However benzodiazepines would not have been my first guess for class of drug supplied by the team. Perhaps the others that I’m thinking about are in the NHL list of PED.

[Scroopy Noopers]

Uhhh team supplied drugs was known by everyone? Come on.

Drugs in the game, of course not shocking. But supplied by the team? Even if it isn’t “shocking” it’s a big deal for a player to call it out.

[TheIronMaiden]

Originally Posted by Scroopy Noopers

Uhhh team supplied drugs was known by everyone? Come on.

Drugs in the game, of course not shocking. But supplied by the team? Even if it isn’t “shocking” it’s a big deal for a player to call it out.

It is very concerning, but 82 games of full contact hockey would not be possible without it.


The true solution would be to reduce the number of games. But that will never happen since everyone would need to agree to a pay cut.

[GordonBlue]

Every team probably has their James Woods. (on any given Sunday. Great movie)
I'm more shocked that someone hasn't tried to spill the beans before now. The NHL is a tough guy league where players are praised by playing through things and people except the rich hockey players to suck it up and play.

I hope Lehner tells a new secret every day and blows up the league. Exposes all the dirty Little secrets.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by combustiblefuel

Why? Because they have some one that cares... laura ingraham called, you stole here stchick. Lehner should probably just shut the #### up and stop pucks right?

For the last decade + fans have been saying why don't celebrities and athletes use their platforms. To speak up then when they do fans act like hurt asses

Lol relax guy...I am acting like a hurt ass because I suggested Vegas will miss MAF?

[Enoch Root]

Great that Lehner has made a statement, but he needs to go further.

Saying Vegas doesn't do it "but I know many other teams" is a bit of a cop out. If you're going to make accusations, make accusations. Give examples. Which teams are doing it?

[Mr.Coffee]

Something about Lehners tone and statements are very victim focused and something about them don’t sit right with me as if the players have zero accountability with all of this. Are they being tied down and forced to take these drugs or am I missing something?

[Beatle17]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Great that Lehner has made a statement, but he needs to go further.

Saying Vegas doesn't do it "but I know many other teams" is a bit of a cop out. If you're going to make accusations, make accusations. Give examples. Which teams are doing it?

I am still unclear on how the team forces a player to take the drugs. Do they hold you down and push it in your mouth, or maybe the player requests some Valium and the doctor subscribes it to him after checking out his need.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Beatle17

I am still unclear on how the team forces a player to take the drugs. Do they hold you down and push it in your mouth, or maybe the player requests some Valium and the doctor subscribes it to him after checking out his need.

Very much doubt they are forced in any way. If a player doesn't want them, I am sure they would be free to not accept them.

[btimbit]

Yeah it's not forced, but if you want them, you get them pretty much no questions asked

[browna]

Hardly a shock and also naive if anyone thinks players have access to (via the team or not, indirectly through agents, personal trainers etc etc) it only after they get into the NHL. It starts as soon as there is competition to stay on a team or make a team years before being drafted.

Also one is naive to think that other pro leagues are any different…to help sleep, or relax, or train longer or harder with less pain or recovery time etc.

[Northendzone]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Very much doubt they are forced in any way. If a player doesn't want them, I am sure they would be free to not accept them.

Easy, drug passports. /green text

[Calgary4LIfe]

It is definitely a good thing that Lehner is shining a bright light in an area that needs more light. NHL has already gone through one such scandal, so it is kind of irritating that they didn't proactively go after anything else since.

[flames_fan_down_under]

Looking forward to Friedman and Maclean really holding the NHL to account with some hard questions.

[dino7c]

"every team is guilty except mine"

Seems a bit sus

[FlatLandFlamesFan]

The pressure on these young men is enormous , then getting "advice" from team doctors to continue at the highest level you should use these meds.

Lets be honest most NHL players are "dumb jocks" these are young men who have focused their entire lives on hockey and hockey alone.

They will do anything to stay in the NHL and most probably don't have the skills to differentiate between use and abuse of these meds.

Hell until I started working in a Pharmacy I had no idea how bad these meds could be when used\prescribed incorrectly let alone the addictive qualities of Benzos

[Knightslayer]

Originally Posted by dino7c

"every team is guilty except mine"

Seems a bit sus

That's not what he said at all. He said "many teams".

[TheSquatch]

Kinda went under the radar when it happened, but to me, Lehner's a straight shooter, a brave guy, and calls it as he sees it. He speaks about the rule changes, the isolation, the manipulation, the difficulty they all went through last year. So I don't see him as playing some kind of angle here, other than that he's seeing something he thinks is wrong.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1rsC-BA3Gc

[corporatejay]

Originally Posted by dino7c

"every team is guilty except mine"

Seems a bit sus

New organization. He hasn't been there that long so maybe he can't speak to it.