Samuel Girard will return to the Colorado Avalanche lineup Sunday, five weeks after stepping away from the team to focus on his mental health.
Girard entered the NHL/NHLPA Players Assistance Program to receive help after struggling with severe anxiety and depression that led to alcohol abuse.
“It’s feels good,” Girard said after practice Saturday. “Obviously, I needed that. Everybody was super supportive. It feels good to be back with the team, be back skating. I’m excited to be back tomorrow.”
Girard last played for the Avalanche on Nov. 18. The league and players’ union announced he was entering the program Nov. 24. He released a statement through his agency, CAA, that detailed why he needed to take time away from the team.
“I was just tired of hiding everything,” Girard said. “At one point, it just became too much for me. I couldn’t just like, leave it inside. I had to talk about it. I know there are other people struggling with the same thing. It feels good to talk about it. If you need help, it’s OK to reach for some help. That’s something that I learned (in the program).”
Girard returned to the team for a morning skate Dec. 21, and he was cleared to return to practice by the program the following day. Avs coach Jared Bednar said they were going to treat Girard’s return like an injury, giving him time to skate, practice and get up to speed before re-inserting him into the lineup.
“(Girard) is doing really well and he’s ready to play,” Bednar said. “I don’t think we need to handle him with white gloves. He’s strong. He knows exactly what he has to do in order to stay healthy and we’ll support in that.”
Bednar said Saturday that Girard will likely start on the team’s third pairing next to Jack Johnson against the San Jose Sharks, but that he is healthy and ready to go. He’s been a staple among the team’s top-four defensemen, averaging more than 20 minutes per game for each of the past five seasons
Girard believes entering the program got him the help he needed.
“Yeah, for sure. That’s the point of going there,” Girard said. “I am a new person. I found myself again. I feel more light, instead of having a lot of stuff in my head and my body as well. It just feels good.”
The Avalanche organization and Girard’s teammates have been forthright with their public support for Girard throughout the process. Former Avs defenseman Erik Johnson began his first media scrum back at Ball Arena with the Buffalo Sabres earlier this month with a message of support for Girard as well.
One teammate who has gone through a similar process is Jonathan Drouin. He left the Montreal Canadiens in 2021 to enter the program, seeking help for his struggles with anxiety and insomnia.
“It’s going to be very cool for him to get back to what he’s used to,” Drouin said. “It’s his roots. You kind of get pulled away from it, and you wonder, ‘Am I going to go back? Am I going to be the same?’
“It’s a battle. You get help from friends, but sometimes you have to do a little bit on your own like he did. For us, it’s just being the same as we’ve always been with ‘G.’ I’ve told him that if there’s anything bothering him or he wants to talk about it, we are all here for him, not just me.”
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