Former OHL player alleges peer abuse
Player said he was forced by a Kitchener teammate to do cocaine when he was 16
LONDON, ONT. Eric Guest plans to do a lot more videos about his Ontario Hockey League experiences.
This week, Guest posted a 15-minute Instagram video claiming when he was a 16-year-old rookie in the 2016-17 season, an older Kitchener Rangers teammate forced him into a bathroom and demanded he and another young player use illegal drugs.
“He locks the door and says, ‘You guys aren’t leaving the bathroom until you do cocaine,’ ” the London Nationals forward, now 20, said in the video. “When you’re young, you listen to what the older guys tell you. You don’t really have a voice. You don’t fight back — you can’t. They have power. They rule you. They’re future Nhlers. You do what they tell you.”
On Tuesday, the OHL issued a statement regarding Guest’s allegations of hazing and abuse, calling them a serious violation of league rules that include allegations of criminal conduct.
“We have reached out to Eric, requested an immediate meeting to receive the pertinent details and to initiate an investigation,” the statement read. “Once we have spoken to Eric, we will have a better understanding of the next steps.”
The Rangers also issued a statement, saying this was the first they have heard of the allegations and that the club has contacted Waterloo Regional police to deal with the potentially criminal conduct.
“We will participate with the commissioner and the league in their investigation,” the Rangers’ statement read. “Until the investigation is complete, the club will be making no further comments.”
Mike Mckenzie, the team’s GM and head coach, was an assistant with the club four years ago.
Guest said he spoke out because he wanted to “shed a little light on things” and deride the toxic masculinity he believes is rampant in the sport.
“You see it everywhere,” he said in the video. “There are so many guys who try to come off as super tough and toxic and bully other kids and treat people who are younger than them (poorly). They shouldn’t be treating them that way. It’s not fair.
“It doesn’t make your team better. That stuff (dressing room dominance) still happens. Guys are good at hiding it and pushing it away.”
Guest indicated he didn’t want to talk about what he says happened to him at the time for fear it would end his shot at a professional hockey career.
He felt he couldn’t turn to his billets, either, and lied to his parents for years about his struggles. He found solace in a guidance counsellor who became his billet mom in his second season with the Rangers.
Guest started to self-medicate and turned to marijuana. He suffered from cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome, which caused him to vomit violently for hours on end. Even so, he would still turn to the drug to deal with his anxiety and lost 40 pounds in the process. At one time, he was one of the most well-conditioned prospects. He ended up being treated in a psychiatric department for 45 days.
Last season, Guest joined the Caledonia Corvairs of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League and then returned home to London, where he posted 47 points in 40 games for the powerhouse London Nationals. He anticipates playing with the Nationals again when hockey restarts.