A new report suggests NHL players are increasingly turning to video games and weed edibles during their downtime, as opposed to boozing like players of past generations took part in regularly.
Twenty-two-year-old Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies told The Athletic that because technology has advanced so much, it’s very easy to “live a virtual life instead of a real one.” Buffalo Sabres forward Peyton Krebs, 23, said, “We’ll all go out for dinner, but then guys will generally go back to their rooms to play video games.”
One anonymous defenseman told the site that playing video games with teammates can help with camaraderie. “You just have to be more open,” this person said. “I’ll try to drag guys out of their comfort zone, and then I’ll play video games with them.”
Beyond video games, NHL players appear to be increasingly turning to weed edibles over booze during downtime. The Athletic spoke with more than three-dozen current NHL players and asked if they took an edible during the season, and 38% “indicated” they did. Hockey players are known to be big boozers, but this trend may be on the decline. Floridan Panthers defenseman Nate Schmidt told the site he was told when he entered the NHL a decade ago, “If you can’t play hungover in this league, you don’t belong in it.”
That attitude may be changing, especially with younger players. Schmidt said it’s unacceptable for players to show up to practice at anything less than 100%. Alcohol-fueled partying during the season is on the decline, it seems, as players look to mellow out instead and take better care of their bodies.
A veteran NHL forward who asked to remain anonymous said he’s sad about the lack of boozing as a means of team-bonding. “When I came into the league, we were going out for beers the night before games,” he said. “I think (the NHL) used to be more fun back in the day.”
Cannabis is not banned for NHL players, and it is legal in many cities across North America where NHL teams play.
As for EA’s NHL video game series, the newest game, NHL 25, was just recently updated with a new 4 Nations Face-Off update themed around the real-world tournament.
