Sep 04 Tyson Nash on Wade Belak

The death of Wade Belak was a shock to many NHLers, both current and former players, especially being the third death in less than 6 month for a player who was known as being an "enforcer". While it was known to some that Derek Boogaard and Rick Rypien has suffered bouts of depression, not many knew about Belak's own struggles with the disease. Former NHL "enforcer" Tyson Nash's tweets caught the eye of Team 990 reporter Amanada Stein, who reached out to Tyson Nash to join The Franchise, hosted by Gary Whittaker and Nick Murdocco, on Saturday morning. Tyson Nash is now serving as a radio color analyst for the Pheonix Coyotes on Radio XTRA 910.

Tyson Nash's tweets:

• Hard for people to understand but retirement is the hardest thing a player will ever go through. Nothing can prepare u for it.
• Ur entire life is dedicated to hockey and then one day it's all over and ur kicked to the curb! And the NHLPA does nothing to prepare u.
• People its my opinion from someone who has been through it. I don't expect sympathy but it is an issue for retired players is all.
• Depression and heartache doesn't discriminate! Money doesn't = happiness. Job loss is terrible but I'm just airing an athletes view.

Highlights of interview:

• Leaving the game of hockey was the hardest thing he had ever been through.
• For Tyson Nash, leaving hockey was like being in love with your wife one day, but then being told you could no longer see ther anymore.
• Received a call from NHLPA - Mathieu Schneider and discussed what programs were available to retired hockey players but Schneider agreed that more could be done.
• That while seminars have been given to active players on what programs are available to them, players simply aren't focused or care about them at the time, until it because more relevant to them later in their careers.
• Hockey players are taught to "suck it up" and to deal with pain, and don't know about opening up to therapists.
• On why young players like Luke Schenn don't understand what players are going through
• Feels that there should be a "transfer" programs to help players deal with transitioning to "real life"
• "Gladiator" type fighters who get standing ovations after their fights really miss being in the spotlight, find it very difficult being transitioned back to the real world. They are told throughout their whole careers on how good they are, patted on the back, to no longer be given those accolades.

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Tags: enforcer \ fighting \ Luke Schenn \ Mathieu Schneider \ NHL \ NHLPA \ Tyson Nash \ Wade Belak