Predators D-man Spencer Stastney Reveals He Nearly Retired Last Year
In a wide-ranging interview with Elliotte Friedman and Kyle Bukauskas on the 32 Thoughts podcast, young Nashville Predators defenseman Spencer Stastney has revealed a lifelong battle with anxiety and depression. Turns out those are the "personal reasons" that resulted in Stastney not reporting to training camp last year, and only returning to the team in late November.
I was sitting there, pretty happy that the season was done. I was absolutely miserable... I think at that moment, it was tough. I was thinking that I'm done. That I'm absolutely done with hockey...I really took a deep dive of thinking about the future, and what I've been through... And looking at my teammates, I knew it wasn't fair to them, and at that point, it was, 'I'm retired.'
Stastney said he broke down speaking to his therapist before each game that year.
"I was struggling every day with depression and anxiety... And it was just overwhelming. I would call the therapist every day for what seemed like hours, just crying. Every game I went into thinking 'I can't do this.'... I thought hockey was just not for me, at that moment."
He even had his retirement papers all drawn up.
Finally, after getting help through the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance program, he realized that family issues were at the root of his troubles.
The full interview with Stastney can be heard here.
Once he returned to the team last November, he started out back with the Admirals, where he recorded 17 points in 26 regular-season games total with a +4 rating. He also played 23 games with the Predators, some as a depth blueliner in January, then again as a regular top-six defenseman in March and early April. He recoreded three assists in an average of 16:11 time on ice per night.
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