WICKENHEISER HAS GAME PLAN FOR TROUBLED ATHLETES

CALGARY — Five- time Olympic medallist Hayley Wickenheiser is still tormented by the loss of her dear friend Steve Montador.

The NHL journeyman was found dead in his Mississauga, Ont. home last February. The cause of death has never been made public.

An autopsy showed he had CTE, the progressively degenerative disease that has been linked to repeated blows to the head.

To Wickenheiser, Montador died of a broken heart.

“Steve is a guy who retired and he was lost,” Wickenheiser says. “He didn’t know what he wanted to do. He needed help, and he couldn’t get the right help that he needed. I wish I would have done more. I wish everyone could have done more to help him. I just never want to see that happen again.”

With Montador in mind, Wickenheiser is helping with the launch of the new wellness program Game Plan.

“I think this could be a model that other pro sports can use,” Wickenheiser says. “I don’t think we need to recreate the wheel on this. I think it’s a waste of resources and time. I think we should just take the best of what’s going on out there. Something like the NHL could easily tap into Game Plan and send their athletes to the program or help with the funding of the program for their athletes to access.

“I know the NHLPA is revamping what they’re doing, and they’ve openly said they haven’t done enough.

“So I’m hoping this is a leader in the field and people will turn to what they’re trying to do with Game Plan and try to elevate it in their own pro sport leagues.”