London Knights to hit the ice Friday for OHL’s ‘Talk Today’ game in support of CMHA

Mental health awareness will be front and centre on Friday as the London Knights take on the Saginaw Spirit in the Ontario Hockey League’s 2023 Talk Today game in support of the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA).

Launched by CMHA in 2014 in partnership with the OHL, the Talk Today Program provides mental health support to players, coaches, billets, staff and family members, and teaches league members about mental health and suicide prevention through educational workshops.

According to the league’s website, the Talk Today Program is mandatory and “works in conjunction with the OHL’s other league programs in areas including drug awareness, health and safety education, respect for women.”

As part of the program, a Talk Today game is held every year in support of the CMHA. This year, the game is being played in London, with proceeds from the 50/50 draw going to support CMHA Middlesex.

“It should be a good game to raise awareness and promote mental health and make sure that we can encourage that conversation,” said Michelle Phillips of CMHA Middlesex, who serves as the primary mental health coach for the Knights.

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“I think the more that we have these conversations around mental health, the more that we can break down the stigma that’s so present in our communities, but also encourage people to not only check in with themselves and see how they’re doing, but also check in with the people around them.”

The league says the workshops “teach the importance of recognizing signs of suicide, and how to seek help or connect with others in need of support to resources.”

Team members are also provided with the services of a mental health coach throughout the year to help them with their own mental health.

Friday’s game comes just over a month after the close-knit hockey community was rattled by the sudden death of player Abakar Kazbekov, who died after falling from a condo tower in downtown London on Dec. 17, 2022.

Phillips said recent polling from the Mental Health Commission of Canada found that about half of Canadians had reported that their mental health had significantly declined since the start of the pandemic.

According to CMHA figures, one in four Ontarians has sought mental health support since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I think that this has been a really challenging last couple of years across all sectors and fields… That’s kind of the consistent message, that people are having a difficult time, and they’re starting to have these conversations more,” Phillips said.

This season’s Talk Today Program is being sponsored by Syngenta Canada and Grain Farmers of Ontario.

Friday’s match between London and Saginaw will get underway at 7 p.m. at Budweiser Gardens.

— with files from Greg Davis and Mike Stubbs