Daniel Carcillo, known as “Car Bomb” during his professional ice hockey career, is a former NHL player turned mental health advocate and entrepreneur. Carcillo’s journey has taken him from the rink to a powerful voice for mental health awareness and player safety.
Dan’s hockey career spanned 10 seasons, during which he played for the Philadelphia Flyers, Chicago Blackhawks, and New York Rangers. Known for his gritty playing style and physicality, he played a crucial role in the Chicago Blackhawks’ 2013 and 2015 Stanley Cup championship victories, showcasing his versatility as both an enforcer and a skilled player.
Following his retirement from professional hockey, Carcillo embarked on a new mission to bring attention to the mental health challenges faced by athletes, particularly in the hockey community after suffering from concussion-related symptoms.
Through working with foundations like No Fallen Heroes, he has worked tirelessly to provide resources, education, and support for individuals navigating mental health challenges, including athletes and veterans.
Carcillo has been a prominent figure in speaking out against the toxic culture within professional hockey. His courage in sharing his own struggles has ignited conversations and spurred positive changes within the sport.
Listen in for some great takeaways about Dan’s journey from hockey enforcer to mental health advocate and his burning passion for creating positive change while trying to create a supportive environment within the world of sports.
You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in…
- Learn who Daniel Carcillo is (and what he’s passionate about) [3:54]
- Daniel’s experience playing in the NHL [9:05]
- Why Daniel stepped forward to address brain health [12:13]
- The abuse Daniel endured during his Junior hockey days [17:05]
- Get your copy of “Financial Planning Made Personal” [19:59]
- What Daniel wishes young men suffering abuse knew [23:54]
- How do we get more young people to be upstanders? [27:23]
- What Daniel thinks the future of hockey looks like [31:17]
- What Daniel did today that put him in the mindset for success [33:10]
Learn who Daniel Carcillo is (and what he’s passionate about)
Dan grew up in a small farming town in Canada. His life revolved around hockey. He was drafted into the NHL when he was 17. He started playing at 19 and played for 10 years, winning two Stanley Cups with the Blackhawks. He ended his career having had 164 fights and seven diagnosed concussions. He was forced into retirement because of mild dementia symptoms due to post-concussion syndrome.
He couldn’t achieve healing via traditional medicine, so he sought alternative therapy in Denver and was able to regain his brain health within three months. He patented the regimen that he created with a biochemist using natural medicine. He raised over $16 million in capital with partners. Since 2019, he’s been involved in advocacy work with the Psychedelic Medicine Coalition. He uses his story to show people how to responsibly use this medicine to recover from concussions.
Why Daniel stepped forward to address brain health
In 2014, he won his second Stanley Cup. Soon after, his son was born. All she ever wanted was to be a dad and he knew that he wanted to be there for his son. After getting his seventh concussion, he was ready to stop playing. The symptoms lingered for almost five weeks.
Then his close friend, Steve Montador, passed away. It was later found that his death was caused by Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE)—which came as no surprise to Daniel. Steve had sustained over 19 concussions in his NHL career and it significantly impacted his mental health.
Daniel was angry, frustrated, and sad. He implored the NHL to take a bigger role in preventing and caring for NHL veterans who’d suffered concussions. They needed a better diagnostic and recovery protocol for concussions. He knew he’d never be hired in hockey again for telling the truth.
The abuse Daniel endured during his Junior hockey days
When Daniel played as a rookie for the Sarnia Sting (A junior hockey team in Ontario, Canada) in 2002–03, he experienced severe hazing, which often included physical and sexual assault from teammates. It happened for well over a year.
And those players and coaches hold your career in your hands. If you “rat” on someone, it’s game over. Too many people accept the abuse and trauma and try to push forward because they don’t want to risk losing their careers. And while Daniel survived the abuse, he vowed that he would never haze anyone and do everything to protect fellow players.
Daniel came forward and launched a class-action lawsuit against the Canadian Hockey League in 2020. Their end goal is to make sure there’s oversight within leagues and that nothing like what happened to them ever happens again.
What do you do if you find yourself in this situation? How has Daniel taken all of his experiences in the NHL and used them to fuel his advocacy? Listen to hear his story of endurance, passion, and grit.
Resources & People Mentioned
- Get “Financial Planning Made Personal” on sale
- Psychedelic Medicine Coalition
- Healing Realty Trust
- No Fallen Heroes Foundation
Connect with Daniel Carcillo
Bio
Daniel Carcillo, known as “Car Bomb” during his professional ice hockey career, is a former NHL player turned mental health advocate and entrepreneur. Born on January 28, 1985, in King City, Ontario, Canada, Carcillo’s journey has taken him from the rink to a powerful voice for mental health awareness and player safety.
Carcillo’s hockey career spanned 10 seasons, during which he played for several teams including the Philadelphia Flyers, Chicago Blackhawks, and New York Rangers. Known for his gritty playing style and physicality, Carcillo was a formidable force on the ice, accumulating both goals and penalty minutes throughout his career. He played a crucial role in the Chicago Blackhawks’ 2013 and 2015 Stanley Cup championship victories, showcasing his versatility as both an enforcer and a skilled player.
Following his retirement from professional hockey, Carcillo embarked on a new mission to bring attention to the mental health challenges faced by athletes, particularly in the hockey community after suffering from concussion related symptoms.
Drawing from his own experiences with concussions, trauma, and the loss of friends within the sport, Carcillo became a vocal advocate for player safety and mental wellness.
Carcillo dedicated his life to promoting brain health treatments, supporting those affected by traumatic brain injuries, and creating awareness about the long-term effects of concussions. Through working with foundations like No Fallen Heroes, he has worked tirelessly to provide resources, education, and support for individuals navigating mental health challenges, including athletes and veterans.
In addition to his advocacy work, Carcillo has been a prominent figure in speaking out against the toxic culture within professional hockey, addressing issues such as hazing, bullying, and the need for improved player safety protocols. His courage in sharing his own struggles has ignited conversations and spurred positive changes within the sport.
Outside of his advocacy efforts, Carcillo has also ventured into entrepreneurship. He co-founded the company Wesana Health, which focuses on developing innovative solutions for mental health and wellness, including psychedelic-assisted therapy.
Carcillo has also co-founded Healing Realty Trust, growing a clinic-focused real estate portfolio catered to the mental, behavioral, psychedelic and physical health markets. Daniel is a co-founder of My Crew Doses, a company focused on providing full spectrum medicine to support an individual’s health and wellness journey.
Daniel Carcillo’s journey from hockey enforcer to mental health advocate has been one of transformation and resilience. Through his passion for creating positive change, he continues to shed light on the importance of mental wellness, player safety, and the need for a supportive environment within the world of sports.
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