Patrick Williamstheahl.com writer
Jacques Plante Once you quip the goalkeeper, it's the only job in the world, with red flashing red lights and 18,000 fans cheering or booing along with the mistake you just made.
OK, fair. Each job brings its own stress and anxiety. Some of them are mild. But some of them are more intense and lasting. Hockey is no different. It's just a workplace, and nothing says many other stress producers of life.
Every night, every period, every shift is measured AHL players. Some of these assessments are formal: statistics, analysis, and victory and loss. Some of them are more informal, such as the flashing red target light. The dangers are contracts, jobs and promotions. The NHL is so close, but the final jump will be the most difficult progress of a player's career. Players can recognize a personal error without booing.
“The players are very knowledgeable,” Syracuse crunch defenseman Max Crozier Noted: “We evaluate our own game, right? We may be the hardest thing for ourselves.”
Life on the ice has also brought challenges to one's own. Finding a job after a contract expires can be a special source of stress. The exempt wire allows players to pack a bag and leave their new home with a new organization. Even an NHL recall can bring your own anxiety brand: rush to the airport. Walk into a new locker room with a new face. Maybe it's limited auditions that leave a positive impression. What if I make the mistake of losing the game?
Crozier makes mental health a priority, just as important as cutting-edge conditioning and healthy eating—and he is not alone. Now, players, coaches and teams now emphasize mental health, not in the past. The meaning of Crozier is to let the Crunch front desk know that he wants to be more involved in the team’s mental health program, including tonight’s Mental Health Night event.
Sophomore professionals are likely to have started working in full-time NHL jobs. The Calgary native is a fourth-round draft pick from Tampa Bay, playing for four seasons at Providence College before taking the Pro Championship later in the 2022-23 season. He has made his way into the Lightning roster in 18 games, including five of the season.
Regardless, Crozier's career is going well. But he has enough view of life to know that its highest level will cause losses to people.
“Whether you want to tell yourself or not, I think everyone has dealt with mental health issues in their life at least,” Crozier said. “It’s really important to me to be able to build a community and talk to make people feel like they’re not alone. I have friends and family who are affected by mental health issues. It’s something I’m very passionate about.”
Win one night. Lost the next night. The first star today. Tomorrow, turn the ice hockey over and work overtime. Success can be fickle for any athlete, and maintaining some type of psychological balance is a challenge. This is one of the key pillars for successful player development.
“Change is never an easy task. People who are more careful and more conscious about themselves, and are self-aware of their mental health, the better their lives are. This is true for anyone, not just a hockey player. Get a good idea of what you feel and then find out why you feel these are two very important steps in your daily life.”
We also influence each other's mental health. Crozier points to the former Lightning teammate Calvin de Haan He was doing his best to welcome him to the team and made him feel comfortable after last season's first NHL recall. Small gestures are important.
“It's not big, but for me, it's really big. It's very helpful to me, and it's immediately comfortable. It's a perfect example of the impact that men can have in the locker room. It's really simple, like, “Hey, how are you?” “Looking at the other person, like he's not only a hockey player, but he's also alone.”
And there are also jobs to seek help from others. Crozier cites resources provided by the NHL and NHLPA as well as the AHL and the Professional Hockey Players Association.
“At the end of the day, it really matters when it comes to mental health – being someone someone else can rely on.”
Crozier realizes that there are always potential pitfalls and challenges for testing anyone psychologically. By working towards voluntary efforts to make his career, he is increasingly aware of mental health issues among players. This is a new generation with a different mindset: willing to discuss these issues more openly.
“With my generation,” Crozel said, “it’s definitely a lot easier because it’s a conversation I’ve been having since I was 10. But it all depends on culture. In Syracuse, everyone is very enthusiastic and free to be who they are. It’s very beneficial when you’re in a space where you can do that. It’s very helpful to be a good teammate when it’s on or on ice, it’s an important thing to be able to rely on.
“But if you need to rely on someone else, you never know that one day will be you.”
Tonight's game is an opportunity for Crozier and Crunch to share that information with fans.
“There is no too hard conversation, too hard,” Crozier outlines. “Games are about raising awareness, and the conversations that need to be done with people in need. Everyone will be spending those days … being able to create a community and environment where people feel willing to express their feelings, which really helps. I hope they see the game and know that tonight is about increasing visibility and expanding the community further.”
During the fifty years in the American Hockey League, Theahl.com writer Patrick Williams currently covers the NHL.com and Flosports leagues and is a regular contributor to Siriusxm NHL New Network Radio. He won the AHL’s James H. Ellery Memorial Award for his outstanding league coverage in 2016.
