What Is The NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program? What The Program Entails As Capitals' Kuznetsov Joins

The Capitals center entered the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program on Monday.

The Washington Capitals will be without Evgeny Kuznetsov for an indefinite period of time, as the 31-year-old has officially entered the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program.

Kuznetsov, who missed Monday's practice for "personal reasons," is one of a handful of players to enter the program this season, joining Columbus Blue Jackets forward Patrik Laine and Colorado Avalanche forward Valeri Nichushkin. Former Capitals forward Jakub Vrana was also in the program back in 2022.

But what is the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program, and what does it do?

The program was created in 1996 when the league and the players' association came together to provide a resource for players to reach out for help. This program assists players and their families in dealing with mental health, substance abuse and other issues.

Through the program, players have access to multiple resources while in the program, including a hotline, counselors and mental health professionals. Confidentiality and privacy are vital parts of the program, so the league and players' association do not disclose the reason players have entered. However, they can elect to speak on it if they choose to do so.

While in the program, players will continue to get paid, and there are no salary cap implications. However, they do not count against the 23-man roster limit.

This is the case with Kuznetsov, as he is no longer on the active roster, while Michael Sgarbossa has been recalled to help fill in.

With regard to how long players are in the program, it depends. There are no time limits or requirements and it is often on a case-by-case basis. Players will be allowed to return to on-ice competition only when they receive clearance from the program counselors.

At the end of the day, a player's well-being comes before the game, and that's the ultimate goal of the program. And the hope for the organization is that Kuznetsov gets the assistance that he needs.