Habs’ Patrik Laine opens up about his own mental health battle in new video

New Montreal Canadiens forward Patrik Laine is taking his advocate job seriously and put words into action on Wednesday when he shared a beautiful video on his own personal mental health battle.

Earlier this month, Laine and his fiancée Jordan Leigh, launched their new initiative called “From Us To You” to promote mental health and help others facing similar challenges.

“We are so excited to finally be able to share what we have been working on. This project is close to our hearts, and we hope that by creating From Us to You, we can open up a safe space for discussion, support, resources, and growth together,” announced the couple on August 12, just days before Laine was traded to Montreal.

The initiative and Laine shared the video on Wednesday, in which Laine candidly spoke about the struggles he has faced off the ice and shared the important message to ask for help.

“I think one of the best [pieces of] advice ever given to me was to be brave enough to ask for help. Personally, I struggle with that a lot,” Laine opened up.

Laine entered the NHL/NHL Players’ Association Player Assistance Program in January and recently spoke about the importance to maintaining his mental health. In the video, he explained how taking that first step of asking for a hand is difficult.

“There’s a lot of shame, a lot of being too proud to reach out and ask for help,” he said. “Always for me, it felt like I was complaining, but people, they want to listen, they want to help.”

Laine also shared his current journey to mental health, putting forth the importance of attending regular therapy sessions and talking about his feelings.

“I’ve learned that talking is the best medicine for that, whether it’s to your friends, to a professional,” he explained. “For me, it’s been my therapist … it’s been a lifesaver — going through the emotions over and over again, even though it’s not too much fun to talk about.”

With the 2024-25 season around the corner, Laine is excited about the fresh start in Montreal.