Counting Sheep

Via: Puck Daddy

I don't know how they do it to be honest. Imagine for a moment that you are an NHL player in the midst of a long road trip. You've just finished a game in San Jose and are now flying to Columbus for a game the next day. You've got your post game commitments, then it's on a plane, flying to the city, getting settled in the hotel, trying to find some sleep and then to the arena first thing in the morning for a game day skate. For an athlete who must maintain peak physical condition, sleep is so essential. But how could anyone under those draining conditions be expected to get the appropriate amount of rest their body needs? The answer may come from a prescription bottle, and it's something the NHL and the NHLPA are taking a closer look at.

When former NHL enforcer Derek Boogaard was found dead in 2011, he was found with many prescription drugs in his apartment, including several for the sleep-aid Ambien. Though not necessarily a performance enhancing drug, it's been whispered around the league that drugs like Ambien have been used by far too many players attempting to get the rest they desperately need. Even though other PED's like steroids are rare in the NHL fraternity, it's foolish to think that most if not all of NHL players are on some sort of prescription medication in an attempt to give their bodies a leg up on the competition. This is why the NHL and the NHLPA have formed a joint study that will look at Ambien and other prescription medication being used by NHL players, with the results of the study coming out this spring.

Some of these sleep concerns were addressed in the newest Collective Bargaining Agreement in an attempt to make players less dependent on these types of medications. The new rules include at least 4 days off per month, and at least 9 hours between arriving at an airport and getting on the ice the next day. It may not be enough to turn players off of drugs like Ambien, but it's certainly a move in the right direction by the NHL to take care of it's players.

Additionally, some teams such as the Vancouver Canucks, have taken the approach of hiring a sleep doctor. These doctors monitor the player's sleep patterns in a variety of situations and make recommendations to management and the coaching staff about when the optimum time for a player to rest should be. The Canucks will often change their travel plans on the opinion of when the doctor feels the team would benefit more from rest than travel.

I expect the results of the study to be shocking but also unsurprising. The NHL has long taken pride in the fact that the players in it's league have such a clean image, however that may soon change. Image fears or not, at least the NHL is being proactive enough to put this study together for it's player's health and ultimately the good of the game.

Snap Shots:

• The Detroit Red Wings showed their will last night with a 3-0 victory over the Nashville Predators to stay in the playoff hunt. Jimmy Howard picked up the shutout, as the Wings look to make the playoffs for a 22nd straight season.
• Similar situation in Buffalo, where the Sabres beat Tampa and now sit just 4 points back of 8th, with 5 games to go. It seems a long shot at this point, but considering the fire sale the Sabres had at the deadline, it's refreshing to see the team still putting in the effort. Jonas Enroth won his second start in a row, the first time since 2006 that Ryan Miller sat out consecutive games while healthy.
• The Canucks have been mixing things up in practice recently, moving Ryan Kesler to the wing with Derek Roy. For all of Roy's skill and good play since arriving in Vancouver, he's been snakebit on the score sheet and the hope is that Kesler can get him going. Kesler has played the wing before, but not since 2009 when he lined up beside Mats Sundin.
• Thanks for reading, please comment and share if you like the content here at WAAP. Don't forget to check back later when I'll update tonight's key games around the NHL. And finally, here's your daily gif: another look at the scary incident last week where Mike Green shattered Nate Thompson's visor.