Bethany's Hockey Rants

Malarchuk

by Bethany on 10/16/08 at 07:49 PM ET
Comments (2)

This is from Jim Kelley at Sports Illustrated. He feels that we need to help Malarchuk. While I agree, definitely, I do also think that we need to do what is best for our hockey club. Scott Howson has a very difficult decision on his hands. I would not want to be in his shoes when it comes to making it. I really don’t know what else to say. It’s a horrible situation, and all I can say is that I hope he gets better soon, and gets the help that he needs.

But what the Jackets could do is what Malarchuk has tried to do most of his life: they could acknowledge that a member of their franchise, a part of their extended family, has a problem. They could allow him the time and professional help he needs to deal with his latest problem and they could at least consider assisting him, after a suitable period of recovery, in not only continuing his work with their goaltending talent, but speaking out about the difficulties of coping with a type of illness that far too many of us try to ignore.

Surely that would take courage. It would also mean taking a road less traveled. Hopefully, GM Scott Howson’s recent visit to Nevada to assess the situation is a step in that direction.

There would be risks, of course, but helping Malarchuk wouldn’t just be the right thing to do, it would be the courageous thing. He might have setbacks that create a public relations problem. It’s also possible that Malarchuk, knowing he has no reason to fear for his livelihood, would understand that he is no longer alone in his fight. He could take strength from that and perhaps recover faster and more completely than if he were to be abandoned at a time when he needs his hockey connection most.

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Tags: Clint+Malarchuk, Columbus+Blue+Jackets,

Comments

Ok, I have held off from saying too much about Clint because the reports have been so obsequious about what really happened. But as someone who has suffered from depression my entire life, I would really like to have the chance to talk to him. NO one who hasn’t experienced it, can understand what it means to go through something like this. Depression is impossible to explain. It’s impossible to understand, even as you’re experiencing it. I struggle with it every DAY of my adult life. No matter how good my day may be, I still struggle with feelings that it would be better if I was just “not here”. But the bigger part of me knows that that isn’t right. I just wish I could talk to Malarchuk and let him know that the strength with which he dealt with his injuries helped one little hockey fan get through her own. I don’t know if it would mean anything to him but I hope it would.

Posted by Jennemy of the Skate from putting the b*tches in the box on 10/16/08 at 08:16 PM ET

That is a nice article and I hope the Jackets management follow through on the author’s suggestions. It’s a tragedy, and it would be worse if they just dump him. I’m not sure if what happen to Malarchuk is having an effect on Leclaire & Norrena in their games, but if it is, it may be best to keep him and help him than it is in dumping him and getting a new goalie coach.

Posted by Pam from Indiana on 10/16/08 at 09:25 PM ET