Toronto Maple Leafs and Mental Health Awareness

Mental Health is an important conversation in hockey, at all levels of play and fandom

The end of January has annually meant a few things for the Toronto Maple Leafs; the time slipping away to the trade deadline  but something more serious as well, the yearly fundraising campaign run by Bell called #BellLetsTalk as well as the Hockey Talks night that usually comes around the same time.

Both campaigns have some common goals: to promote the importance of talking about mental health and illness, raise money for mental health initiatives country-wide and most importantly remind people everywhere they are not alone.

Bell Lets Talk day encourages the discussion of mental health issues like depression, anxiety and other mental illness and every use of the hashtag donates five-cents to mental health programs, while Hockey Talks is a month-long campaign partnered with all seven teams across Canada to bring the conversation of mental wellness and health awareness and education to the hockey world with in arena messaging, social media story telling through #HockeyTalks and game nights.

Toronto Maple Leafs and Bell Let’s  Talk

Mental health was a topic previous Toronto Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock strongly advocated for as he was an ambassador for the 2019 Bell Lets Talk campaign.

Babcock said in a 2019 interview with CTV News Toronto, that he educated himself on mental health and how to approach it in his coaching. He highlighted on his goal to normalize talking to his players about what they’re thinking and going through, saying quote, “…no one should suffer in silence”.

Babcock talked about how the biggest part of mental health awareness is talking and being open about it as well as creating an environment where players can feel comfortable coming to their coach and giving them resources to both help themselves and for the team to help them.

Hockey players are human and movements like Bell Lets Talk and Hockey Talks Night are not only important for the obvious reasons but it also highlights the fact that mental health does not discriminate by giving players an opportunity to be open about their feelings in regard to mental health.

Everyone struggles, 1 in 5 Canadians will experience difficulties with mental health at some point in their life, meaning that many more people through family and friends will be affected.

Based on that roughly four players in the roster would statistically be affected by mental illness, proving that no matter how much money or fame or success someone has, it does not substitute for endless happiness and behind the glint of the skates there could be deeper down mental things that no one knows about. By talking about it and normalizing it and educating yourself, it could mean even one more person struggling feel better about seeking help.

In a community where so many personal issues are swept under a rug for the sake of masculinity and seeming tough or for pride, the importance of talking about mental health and establishing the difference between being mentally ill and mentally weak are crucial to the progress and overall well-being of players in the game at any level of play. Anxiety, depression, bi-polar disorder, ptsd are all things that anyone could be dealing with in any sport.

Outside of the NHL, hockey can be an escape for those struggling and how some people cope with bad mental health days. Speaking personally, it was a big part of my getting into hockey, it gave me something to look forward to and invest in and celebrate when they won. I put my energy into it when i was feeling low.

It was a community to belong to and make a support system in. Although with a team like the Leafs sometimes it can be somewhat a downfall  and relatively stressful but the point stands. Many people look to sports as an easy escape from the everyday, from playing to engaging in fan communities, it’s the easiest way to cope with the hard of it all sometimes.

The 2020 Hockey Talks Mental Health night has yet to be announced by the Toronto Maple Leafs but its important to remember to talk and be aware of those who are affected by mental illness all days of the year and continuing to end the stigma.

Over the past 7 years the Toronto Maple Leafs have paired with the Center of Addiction and Mental Health, it is Canada’s largest mental health and addiction hospital, and a leading research center of addiction and mental health.

To participate in Bell Lets Talk day, use the #BellLetsTalk in any Twitter, Instagram or Facebook post and 5 cents will be donated through Bell to Canadian mental health initiatives.

If you or someone you know is struggling there are so many resources available for you and you are not alone.