Hart Trophy-winning goaltender, Carey Price, took to Instagram on Tuesday night to address checking into a player assistance program.

Price left the Montreal Canadiens a week before the regular season started due to a substance abuse issue.

The beloved goaltender said that he had reached a dark place and did not have the tools to get out.

Price wrote on his personal Instagram:

Over the last few years I have let myself get to a very dark place and I didn’t have the tools to cope with that struggle. Last month I made the decision to enter a residential treatment facility for substance use. Things had reached a point that I realized I needed to prioritize my health for both myself and for my family. Asking for help when you need it is what we encourage our kids to do, and it was what I needed to do.

I am working through years of neglecting my own mental health which will take some time to repair; all I can do is take it day by day. With that comes some uncertainty with when I will return to play.

I appreciate all of the overwhelming support and well wishes. I please ask that the media and our hockey community continue to respect our privacy at this time. Your support and respect of this so far has been a critical piece to my recovery.

Angela Price said Carey had the family’s full support and made “the absolute best decision possible for us.”

Part of the privilege of being in the position our family is in, is that we also get a public platform to show how there is and can be a path to light for anyone who is struggling. No matter what is on the line, we hope we can communicate the importance of putting your mental health first not just by saying it, but by showing up and doing the work to get better. Carey’s showing up for himself and our family and making the absolute best decision possible for us. I will continue to show up for him and our kids and seek out the support that I may need on any given day. And it’s incredibly important to us to show our kids that asking for help, and letting yourself be supported by others is not just ok, but encouraged – anytime, and under any circumstance.

Price has not played a game since leading the Canadiens to an improbable Stanley Cup Final appearance last summer. The Habs fell to the Tampa Bay Lightning in five games.

From everyone here at RMNB, we wish Carey nothing but the best during this difficult time.