No more "stimulants" in the NHL?

[Ogie Oglethorpe 14]

I remember Recchi came out and said he too used to take several Sudaphed (sp?) before games to make him edgier during games.

I don't see steriods as being as big a problem in the NHL as in other sports (less to be gained by huge bulk in hockey as it would likely deter quickness and agility) but I have long since heard about ephadrine

But, taking RIPPED FUEL along with Sudafed must make one incredibly jittery.... http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story.asp?ID=119141&hubName=

Also, Quintal says he used to do it as well (along with downing a couple of cups of coffee): http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story.asp?ID=119199&hubName=

I find it hard enough to sleep after games, can't imagine what those guys must go through!

Anyway, I remember ephadrine used to be that stuff in GNC type "lean muscle mass" products. I used to take Xenadrine back when it was such a product (before it became the latest in some weight loss fad) when I tore my PCL.

I also remember that some football players took it before games (there was a scandall when some high-school kid damn near killed himself for taking too much before a practice - can't remember if he died or not, but it had bad heart implications if taken to an extreme).

OK... no real question to pose, but found this somewhat interesting in that one has to wonder with the big Canseco baseball/steroid hype going on now, one has to wonder if the NHL/NHLPA will be ueber pro-active and make a big stand on this for show purposes (of course.... they seem to have bigger issues at hand right now ;) )

[Jim A 4]

I've taken 2 Advil Cold and Sinus before late games (10:30+) at times, I try not to make it a routine, but I normally have to take 2 advil anyways for the knee ..but yeah..the psuedoephedrine does give me a nice little pep..although sometimes i do find myself with a case of the redass out there..i try to take it about 2 hours before the game and shut down any other caffeine intake after that..I hadn't even thought of it before reading an SI story before the '02 games when they talked about NHL'ers walking in and downing sudafed and similar stuff by the handful and how they couldn't with the Olympics approaching as they were eligible for OOC drug tests

[MDE3 0]

I ran into several players in MLRH who were big proponents of the use of ephredrine in one format or another just pre-game...From what I have seen, it may have added a short term burst, but then if it wears off before the game ends, it's followed by a pretty good sag. Given the potential for heart complications....give it a wide berth.

save the money and spend it on training time.

[mik3 1]

It sounds really weird, but I just play on "pee power". I don't go to the bathroom before a game, and just use that as sorta my fuel. It keeps me going.

[Ogie Oglethorpe 14]

I am reminded of Slapshot I'm so stinkin' faced. My bladder is killing me. I swear to god, first guy who boards me, I'm going to piss myself....."

[WingsVK97 0]

I've always thought that hockey's drugs problems of choice were stimulants and painkillers. It's all pressure to perform night after night with an 82 game schedule. Those are the ones they'll come in contact with the most and could get hooked on if they aren't used properly.

Of course every pro sport has their alcoholics.

[Adam91 0]

other then Fleury is there any that any1 knows of?

[Jim A 4]

I'm not going to justify my use of it, but i take it about 90 min before hand and at times i can still be somewhat wired when i return home an hour or 2 after the game...i find that if I take redbull or somehting like that ..i'm jittery ..and i don't like mixing it with the advil i have to take anyway to play..one of the things about playing sr beer league..late game times..work all day..drive 45 min for a 10"30 game..play til midnight..drive home..there are days it gets me off the couch and into the car..but i don't encourage its use..and i don't use it on a per game basis..

[Eazy_b97 1]

other then Fleury is there any that any1 knows of?

Alcohol is a BIG part of hockey culture. There are alot of guys who have issues, but aren't overly public with it. Belfour, comes to mind, I thought Kevin Stevens was with Fleury, and there's been an awful lot. Just look how many times an NHLer will show up doing something drunk and stupid.

[Ogie Oglethorpe 14]

Chris Simon was an alchie too, wasn't he?

As was Big Bad Bob Probert.

[Adam91 0]

o ya Simon diffenitly was I forgot about I think Probert was aswell

[JR Boucicaut 3801]

Probie was a cokehead...LOL

[RadioGaGa 162]

Kordic and Fogarty....they liked the bend the elbow every now an then...they both had drug issues too....

I think I heard that they were roommates when they were in Quebec....

[JR Boucicaut 3801]

Can't forget Kevin Stevens suckin' on the glass dick with a prostitute in St. Louis...

[Jim A 4]

Fogarty was a sad tale, later stories have painted him as someone battling some of the same ailments as Ricky Williams, some sort of society anxiety..but the bottle was his release..had a buddy who lost a battle with the bottle on that same team..talking to some of the ex teammates..those guys could go out all night and show up looking fine for practice the next day..a scary thought...

[2048 0]

Ken Daneyko had a drinking problem, didn't he?

[JR Boucicaut 3801]

Yup.

Drank so much that he thought Messier's sister was hot.

[2048 0]

Hah! I remember that.

I think there was even a fight during a Devs-Rangers game because he called her manly or something like that.

(For those who don't know, Mess's sister looks like Mess with a wig).

[JR Boucicaut 3801]

Actually, they dated when they were kids...

[Fletch 219]

Claude Lapointe of the Flyers also has problems with alcohol.

Supposedly Alex Zhitnik did too, and he was traded from LA because of it.

[Lightning 0]

They have been taking Sudaphed forever. They had to tell the NHL players to not take it when they started playing in the Olympics, otherwise they would have failed the testing policy.

But I mean seriously, people need to step away from the steriod and supplement controversy and relax. If I have to hear another story about a baseball player doing steriods im going to throw up. Now people are trying to nit pick everything athletes eat or drink.

Im not saying dont clean the steriod issue up but come on, have the players sign a testing policy that covers the gambit and move on.

As olympic drug testers will tell you, the chemists that make the steriods are so far ahead of testing, that it takes someone to inform them on the new drugs for them to find them.

Coffee is alway a good alternative to a supplement that contains a bunch of caffine or ephedrine

[Chadd 916]

Supposedly Alex Zhitnik did too, and he was traded from LA because of it.

I've heard the same about Derek Morris. That would explain going from Calgary to Colorado to Phoenix in one year.

[Ogie Oglethorpe 14]

I forgot about Richard Jackman. That's supposedly why Dallas moved him to Boston (and Boston to Toronto, and Toronto to Pittsburgh)

[Adam91 0]

I've heard the same about Derek Morris. That would explain going from Calgary to Colorado to Phoenix in one year.

That would explain why he was expected to be a top NHL d-man and why his value has totaly went down hill in the last few years

[Chadd 916]

I forgot about Richard Jackman. That's supposedly why Dallas moved him to Boston (and Boston to Toronto, and Toronto to Pittsburgh)

He just wasn't suited to be a #7 d-man.