Cokeheads in the NHL
 

So, if you believe half the crap that goes around here in Ottawa, a sizeable percentage of the Sens squad does a lot of cocaine. At the very least, it seems to be the first thing people associate with Wade Redden these days.

Is there a lot of coke in the NHL? How many players/teams have a serious cocaine issue in the league? I'm curious if this is only a Sens phenomenon, which I doubt. I hear about drug charges in every other pro sports league, but it's been surprisingly mum in Hockey.

I've never heard anything about that but very interesting nevertheless. The last NHL player to 100% use (that I knew about) was Bob Probert. You really don't hear much about that stuff.

And remember about 10 years ago when minor league players started to load up on Sudafed before games for a high?

Detail on Probert Coke Bust (The New York Times)
 

SPORTS PEOPLE: HOCKEY; Probert Is Indicted In Cocaine Smuggling

Published: March 23, 1989
LEAD: Bob Probert, a former Detroit Red Wing forward, was indicted by a Federal grand jury yesterday on a felony charge of drug importation almost three weeks after he was charged with trying to smuggle cocaine through the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel. If convicted, Probert could be banned from the United States, according to Roman Rewald, a Detroit lawyer who specializes in immigration and international law.

Bob Probert, a former Detroit Red Wing forward, was indicted by a Federal grand jury yesterday on a felony charge of drug importation almost three weeks after he was charged with trying to smuggle cocaine through the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel. If convicted, Probert could be banned from the United States, according to Roman Rewald, a Detroit lawyer who specializes in immigration and international law. Probert, a Canadian citizen, has been living in Detroit.

The 23-year-old Probert also faces up to 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine, but under Federal sentencing guidelines, he would serve less than two years in prison.

United States Customs agents said they found 14 grams of cocaine in Probert's underwear on March 2 as he tried to enter the United States from Canada.(AP)

Theres a crapload of rumors that have been going around about the sens specifically doing coke and distributing it amongst their players.

Grant Fuhr coke abuse (The New York Times)
 

HOCKEY;
Fuhr Used Cocaine, Paper Says

Published: September 1, 1990
LEAD: The Edmonton Oilers goaltender Grant Fuhr used cocaine for about seven years, but says he has been drug free since spending two weeks in a substance-abuse center last summer, according to a published report.

The Edmonton Oilers goaltender Grant Fuhr used cocaine for about seven years, but says he has been drug free since spending two weeks in a substance-abuse center last summer, according to a published report.

The Edmonton Journal reported today that Fuhr admitted that he had lied to Glen Sather, the Oilers' general manager, who confronted the goaltender several times about possible substance abuse. ''It's not something you tell your boss,'' Fuhr said.

In an interview in the Journal's offices, the newspaper said, Sather confirmed that Fuhr had been treated for cocaine abuse at the Straight Center in St. Petersburg, Fla., and that the goaltender had tested positive in a private test his former agent, Rich Winter, had pressed him to take.

At First, a Denial

On Thursday, Fuhr at first denied using cocaine, but Sather telephoned The Journal and said he and the goalie would like to discuss the matter.

Fuhr declined to answer any questions about cocaine at the interview, but admitted he had abused a ''substance'' since 1983 or 1984.

Fuhr, 28 years old, said he had used the substance once every three or four weeks, but had not touched it since he left the center. ''I was trying to get my life straightened around,'' Fuhr said. ''I wasn't happy.''

Three Negative Tests

Sather said that in the last year, Fuhr tested negative for cocaine three times.

John Ziegler, the National Hockey League president, said in a statement this morning that the league had begun an investigation after receiving information indicating that Fuhr ''had admitted using an illegal drug.''

''No further comment will be made until the investigation, and, if necessary, hearing process is completed,'' Ziegler said.

A hearing was set for Sept. 26 in Toronto, site of the N.H.L. Board of Governors' meeting the previous two days. Ziegler said that pending the investigation and a possible appeal, Fuhr could play in exhibition games, but not regular-season games.

Fuhr's former wife, Corrine, said that he had used cocaine heavily since she met him in 1983, according to the newspaper, but that he had always tried to hide it from her and his teammates.

Fuhr joined the Oilers in 1981-82. He won the Vezina Trophy as the N.H.L.'s outstanding goaltender for the 1987-88 season. Last season, Fuhr played in Fuhr played in just 21 games last season, posting a 3.89 goals-against average and one shutout.

I think the last one was Theo Fleury.

I guess in most cases the use of cocaine goes along with alcohol and we or the media then officialy hear only about the alcohol problems a player has. If the player checks in to the substance abuse programm most of the cases it's probably not only alcohol but maybe also cocaine or other substances.

Well yeah, if you get your credible information from crappy hockey blogs.

There may be a couple of guys on every team doing coke, but you realize that most teams have testing. Redden and Emery have been rumored to do coke, but highly doubt it's a team epidemic. If it was, you'd expect the Sens to have performed at a much higher level, after all, it's an enhancer.

Here are some official NHL cokeheads:

http://espn.go.com/nhl/s/2001/0228/1116704.html

NHL substance-abuse history
ESPN.com

The NHL's Substance Abuse and Behavioral Health Program was created in 1996. Under the policy, players may voluntarily participate without penalty. Previously, players were suspended automatically for alcohol or drug use. Terms of the suspension were at the commissioner's discretion.

Following is a list of notable players who have either been suspended or have had an encounter with the NHL's policy in its various forms.

1978
Don Murdoch: New York Rangers winger suspended for the 1978-79 season after his arrest for possession of cocaine. He was reinstated after 40 regular-season games.

1983
Ric Nattress: Montreal Canadiens defenseman suspended for the 1983-84 season for possession of marijuana and hashish. Nattress was reinstated after 40 regular-season games.

Sept. 4, 1986
Borje Salming: Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman suspended for the 1986-87 season for admitting previous use of cocaine in a newspaper article. Salming was reinstated after eight games.

March 4, 1989
Bob Probert: Detroit Red Wings winger suspended for life for smuggling cocaine into the U.S. After serving a 90-day jail sentence, Probert was reinstated on March 9, 1990 and played four games.

Sept. 27, 1990
Grant Fuhr: Edmonton Oilers goaltender suspended for one year for admitting prior substance use. Fuhr was reinstated on Feb. 4, 1991.

Sept. 2, 1994
Bob Probert: Chicago Blackhawks winger suspended indefinitely without pay and immediately ordered into a league-supervised treatment center in California. It is believed to be the first time the league has assisted in a player's rehabilitation. Probert was reinstated in April 28, 1995.

Nov. 1, 1997
Ken Daneyko: New Jersey Devils defenseman became the first player to publicly announce his voluntary participation in the NHL's new substance abuse program, which was adopted in Sept. 1996. After missing 45 games, Daneyko returned to the NHL on Feb. 7, 1998.

1997-98
Brantt Myhres: Phildelphia Flyers winger voluntarily enrolled in NHL's program at the start of the season because of alcohol dependency. Myhres re-entered treatment in Sept. 1998 when he was a member of the San Jose Sharks.

Jan. 23, 2000
Kevin Stevens: New York Rangers winger arrested in a suburban St. Louis motel for felony drug possession of crack cocaine and is admitted to the NHL's treatment program. It is the second time he has been a participant. "I was involved before this happened," Stevens told the Philadelphia Inquirer. "I had been sober for 18 months." Stevens missed the remainder of the season and signed as a free agent with the Philadelphia Flyers on July 7.

March 8, 2000
Ed Belfour: Dallas Stars goaltender arrested for assault and resisting arrest after a fight at a Dallas hotel. He pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of resisting arrest and was enrolled in the NHL's program. After missing the Stars next five games, he returned to the lineup on March 18.

Feb. 28, 2001
Theo Fleury: New York Rangers winger voluntarily enrolled in the NHL program. According to a Sports Illustrated report, Fleury sought help from the same program after the 1999-2000 season.

August 16, 2002
Jere Karalahti: Nashville Predators defenseman suspended six months without pay by the NHL for a third violation. Left the NHL to play in Finland.

Pretty sure Daneyko never had an issue with Cocaine. His issue was with alcholol and he admitted to being an alcoholic.

Mike Ribeiro, Jose Theodore and Pierre Dagenais were rumoured to be quite the coke group while in Montreal. All local boys, they ruled the town I guess.

A lot of people claim Raffi Torres but there's no stories around it. He used to party quite a bit and I guess looks kinda crazy...and come on, what else are you gonna do in Edmonton.

And with the Ottawa boys, the other guys people say are Spezza and Corvo.

I am not going to say one way or another but I have indeed heard stories. The chances of any of these rumours being true is slim to nil as they are probably twisted and invented so many times along the line that there may be no truth left to it whatsoever.

First, I highly doubt that Emery is on coke. If he was, the team could easily pull the substance abuse program on him and they wouldn't have to buy him out or pay a portion of his contract after waivers. He's a prick, but I doubt he is a coke head, at least during the season. He is probably a pot head, but I doubt he is into anything more serious than that.

Reds... I don't know is up with this guy. It is clear that he has some very significant personal problems. Whether they stem from a drug addiction is possible I suppose, so is wondering if he started using drugs as a way to deal with other things in his life. Wade is a good man. Everyone is aware of that. He does more for the city than any other Senator in the history of the franchise, and he's being all class on the way out. The fact is his body looks skeletal compared to two, three years ago. He has definitely lost at least 20 pounds and it shows every time a forchecking forward steals the puck from him and knocks him on his arse. I don't believe the rumours about him out of respect, he deserves the benifit of the doubt. If he does have a problem then I hope he can find a way to get over it and get back to where he was as a player, because he was an absolute pleasure to watch. I don't want this guy to turn from a great role-model into the goat of the NHL on TV and in newspapers.

Didnt Dan Kordic die of a cocaine overdose... well one of the Kordics, John or Dan... dont remember

Yeah, John Kordic died of a heart attack after brawling with police in his hotel room. He had a significant amount of coke in his blood at the time.

Corvo is a Carolina boy now and a health freak. I highly doubt Spezza has an issue with drugs. That guy is just too squeaky clean and his uber-straight GF would not stand for it.... but nothing would surprise me. Emery is the most believable rumor, I also heard he failed a couple of piss tests. I have also heard that Brian McG. likes to party.

I did hear from a source in Edmonton that there was a big issue with coke there and one player actually left town on a trade because he owed a ton of money to a dealer. Any truth to that rumor Thrill?

I heard the Sedins snort coke off each others nipples.

Yeah I know... it didn't stipulate alcohol in his case, the article is about substance abuse, that includes the boooooooze.