Hemsky arrived in Montreal unconvinced

Hired by Marc Bergevin in the summer of 2017, veteran and former Edmonton Oilers star Ales Hemsky played in just seven games with the Canadiens and never played in the NHL again after that. The Czech returned to his stay in Montreal on Friday, admitting that he had reached a little backwards in Quebec City.

“After the 2016-2017 season [au cours de laquelle il a été limité à 15 rencontres]“I saw a doctor in Dallas,” Hemsky said during a video conference with some members of the media. Organized by Betway. He told me he didn't think I could play more than 15 games because of my hip.

The diagnosis of another doctor in Montreal was more encouraging. Hemsky agreed to terms on a one-year, $1 million contract with the Canadiens.

“The doctor there told me my hip was in good condition,” the main person explained. We had an MRI and everything.

However, Hemsky was not completely convinced at the beginning of the season.

Doomed to fail

“My hip was bothering me and I wasn't sure I wanted to play in the NHL,” he admitted frankly. Obviously the NHL is the best league in the world, and when you have a contract, you at least want to try.

Except that from the start of training camp, Hemsky knew he wasn't going to produce quality play.

“I talked to Mark [Bergevin] Because my hip kept bothering me. He gave me breaks. I didn't play every game. And then, I got injured because I was really weak because I wasn't healthy enough.

It was ultimately the concussion that ended Hemsky's career, after he was badly hit during a game in Anaheim on October 20, 2017.

The Canadiens put every resource at his disposal to help him improve, but Hemsky was never able to return to the game, and to this day, the 40-year-old expresses his gratitude to the Montreal organization.

“The support the Canadians gave me was amazing. They helped me a lot. I saw all kinds of experts. I even worked with a guy who takes care of veterans with PTSD. He found all kinds of things. I suffered from vertigo, which can sometimes Confusing it with my concussions.

“It was a serious problem that had not been addressed, and that previous teams had not been able to solve. When I got hit, my eyes were running all over the place.”

He found the light

In a deep identity crisis once his career ended, Hemsky experienced a very dark period. In an emotional message shared on the Czech platform Bez Frazi, he admitted that he had considered ending his life.

No one would have imagined when he spoke to Hemsky on Friday that he was in such a plight a few years ago. The affable striker, who played for Hull Olympics during his formative years, appears to be quite happy.

“I'm happy,” Hemsky said. I have a beautiful life with my wife and our two wonderful children. “I had a lot of fun in Dallas, where I live.”

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