Ales Hemsky Opens Up About His Mental Health After Retiring From the NHL

Aleš Hemský had a successful NHL career, spanning over 15 seasons, before retiring in 2018 due to medical reasons and a desire to spend more time with his family. However, retirement took a heavy toll on his mental health, causing him to develop depression and resentment towards his children. Hemský struggled with the loss of his purpose and felt that he should still be playing at his young age when he retired. He shared his struggles with mental health and encouraged others to seek help if they are experiencing similar feelings.

Hemsky Talked About His Mental Health

In an interview with The Athletic, Hemský opened up about his retirement and the difficulty of accepting that he could no longer play the sport he loved:




After retirement, Hemský felt lost and struggled to find meaning in his life. He explained that he saw nothing but emptiness and that he had lost the meaning of life, despite having a wonderful family. He recognized that he had met all the conditions of depression and had even contemplated ending his life.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Breakers (@nhlbreakers)

Hemský's main message to others is that it's okay to not be okay and that people should reach out if they are struggling. He advised others to find at least one person to confide in and seek help from. He acknowledged that it can be difficult to share personal struggles, but it's important to do so.


The experience of Hemský highlights the need for more resources to support the mental health of past and current NHL players. Retirement from any job is difficult, and for professional athletes, the transition can be especially challenging. By offering more support and resources, the NHL can help promote better mental health for their retired players.

As seen on Hockeypatrol - Ales Hemský Exposes the Dark Side of Playing in the NHL