Bruins prospect suddenly leaves the team after personal and mental struggles

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Ryan Hall
July 13, 2024 (7:59)

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In a shocking turn of events, Bruins prospect Cole Spicer has chosen to step away from the game of hockey and his team with University of Minnesota Duluth.

During the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, he was selected by the Bruins 117th overall. Many felt that he would take the next step and it appeared that he was ready to play during the Bruins development camp earlier this month.

But yesterday, Spicer chose to announce that he is stepping away from the game for the foreseeable future as he continues to work through mental and personal issues.

«I need to figure out some personal and mental stuff first,» Spicer said. «Right now I need to take a step away and figure a couple things out.»

«I love those guys. They're family to me,» Spicer said of staying at UMD. «We basically do everything together all season. For sure the hardest part of this is leaving that group of guys.»

«I love Duluth with my entire heart,» Spicer said. «They have such a great staff. We have the best teammates there. Truly, I just love the spot. I don't want to leave it. I feel like it's my second home. To be able to go back and play there really does mean something special to me.»

His love for the game and his teammates with Minnesota was quite apparent and it takes a lot of courage for a young person to realize that stepping away from the game they love in order to improve their mental health and physical is outstanding.

We all hope that he can find the help he needs and do the steps necessary to improve his issues and that he can step back to the game of hockey and resume his career.