Ullmark spoke to TSN about his battle with mental health and the recent social media rumours.
Veteran NHL goalie Linus Ullmark says the reason for his current leave of absence from the Ottawa Senators was so that he could address his mental health issues.
Ullmark told TSN's Claire Hanna in a one-on-one interview recorded on Saturday that he began to have feelings of anxiety and panic during the Senators' 7-5 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Dec. 27.
Ullmark was pulled from that game, and after it was over, he says he called the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program.
"I said, 'Hey. I’m f***ed up. I need help,'" Ullmark said.
So a game plan was created to help the 32-year-old led by a great support team that included doctors and a divisional rival. Fellow Swedish NHLer Victor Hedman, who's highly involved in mental health causes, has been a great friend and resource for Ullmark.
TSN published the interview on YouTube on Tuesday. It was the first media availability Ullmark had given during his time away from the club, which has not been without incident.
After stepping away on Dec. 28, some unpleasant rumours began going around, which eventually oozed onto social media.
“It took them less than 24 hours from my leave of absence to try to find reasons why I’m gone, saying that I’m a homewrecker, a person that no one likes on the team, and I can’t defend myself,” Ullmark said.
Ullmark didn't specify who he believed was saying these things, but says he knew it wasn't Sens fans, as they've been highly supportive.
Ullmark was also pleased to hear how his teammates had his back in the ensuing locker room interviews. The players strongly denied the rumour and described him as beloved in the room.
“It was really nice to see the camaraderie and the love that they had. And everybody said the same thing. And that really helped me to... not put it completely aside, but little by little, helping me in the way of dealing with it."
Ullmark also described GM Steve Staios's statement as incredible, which instantly became an excellent answer to those who repeatedly asked the question, "Why would they put out a statement and draw even more attention to the rumour?"
“Our organization was extremely disappointed to read the completely fabricated and false stories that are spreading around social media about our hockey club,” the statement went. “Linus is away from our team for personal reasons, and he has the entire organization’s support. We asked that people respect his privacy, but clearly that request was not heard by the lowest forms of trolls and sick people who scour the internet. We are disgusted that outside forces are attempting to disrupt our hockey club. This statement will put an end to the ridiculous speculation that spread online.”
Ullmark hasn't announced when he'll be back in the Senators lineup. For now, he remains on the non-roster list, but meeting with the media would seem like the next step toward a return.
Ullmark says he'd be happy if his opening up somehow helps other people as they work their way through mental illness.
“Yeah, at the end of the day, it would be a nice thing. But it wasn’t my plan.
"My plan was to fix me.”
By Steve Warne
The Hockey News Ottawa
