Carey Price getting help for alcoholism was a way to lead by example — especially for Indigenous youth

As a multiple award-winning Montreal Canadiens goalie as well as an Olympic medallist, Carey Price cemented his status as a sports role model years ago. Having achieved that level of success while never forgetting his rural B.C. roots and First Nations heritage, and giving back to Indigenous communities via a number of charitable endeavours, has earned him a special stature among Indigenous fans.

In a press conference on Monday, where Price provided a health update and spoke about the fact that his career seems to be winding down, he was asked about his legacy and what he means to Indigenous youth.

“I always keep that in the back of my mind. I’ve always tried to be a positive role model for Indigenous youth.”

After Price entered the NHL players assistance program for mental health issues in October 2021, he admitted to having struggled with substance abuse. Yesterday, in an interview with The Athletic, he revealed for the first time that that substance was alcohol, saying that he was “drinking a lot” following the Habs’ loss in the 2021 Stanley Cup Finals (and subsequent knee surgery), to the point where it was affecting his role as a parent to three children. Given the prevalence of substance abuse due to generational trauma in First Nations communities, his heritage seems to have influenced his choice to go public with his problems — at the risk of affecting his role model status.

“Substance abuse has been a very big issue in First Nations communities. I’ve had friends and family that have passed away from it,” Price told The Athletic. “So, I could’ve done this privately — nobody ever would have known about it. But at the end of the day, I was like, if I have to deal with it, if I can lead by example and show that it’s okay to reach out for help… Maybe I could have gone out and stopped on my own. Yeah, maybe. But I wanted to be able to show it’s okay to ask for help.”

While similar moves by sports personalities and other celebrities in the past may have alienated fans and negatively affected reputations, Price’s choice to be transparent and help destigmatize mental health issues seems to have only endeared him to fans and public figures, judging from the countless expressions of support shared throughout his public struggle.

In an interview conducted for the Habs’ Indigenous Celebration Night last March, Price spoke about his childhood in Anahim Lake, B.C., passing traditions on to his kids and being inspired by the leadership qualities of his mother Lynda Price, who is Chief of the Ulkatcho First Nation.

“She’s a very hard-working person. She’s very dedicated to the betterment of the community. It’s not always an easy position to be in, in a position of leadership. My analogy to being a Chief is kind of like being a referee: no matter what call you make, somebody’s not going to be happy about it.”

“Leading by example has always been my way of leading,” he added. “I think that your actions will always speak louder than your words.”

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