Bobby Ryan has to get up after being crushed by his demons. After being sober for several months, he was arrested Monday at the Nashville airport for public intoxication.
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The site “Scoop Nashville” announced on Tuesday after receiving an affidavit. The former Ottawa Senators player allegedly stole some items from stores before leaving them on a counter and escaping to a brewery. The police observed his intoxication and put him in a cell for the night.
A report of theft was not filed.
Ryan publicly revealed his drug problems in 2019 while playing for the Senators. He then signed up for the National Hockey League’s (NHL) Player Assistance Program, which forced him out of the game for about three months. So he chose sobriety and won the Bill Masterton trophy at the end of the 2019-2020 season.
After this latest relapse, the 35-year-old wants to start the process all over again.
“I received so many incredible messages today,” he wrote on his Twitter account on Wednesday. Thank you all. Today is (again) day 1. [Je suis] mostly embarrassing, but I shouldn’t be. Today I wake up and make better decisions.”
Ryan has not played with the Detroit Red Wings since his 2020-21 season. He had 261 goals and 569 points in 866 games with the Anaheim Ducks, Senators and Wings.