Sportsnet’s Jeff Marek dropped a major bomb during the most recent edition of the 31 Thoughts Podcast that he co-hosts with Elliotte Freidman. The pair discussed Fortnite, and other popular video games, and the effect that they can have on some young hockey players. Marek relayed a disturbing story about a top NHL prospect.
Jeff Marek Says That A Top NHL Prospect’s Career in Jeopardy Due to Video Game Addiction
“On video games — and I’m not going to say the player’s name. I really doubt he’s going to make it to the NHL and it’s because of a video-game addiction,” Marek stated on Sportsnet’s 31 Thoughts: The Podcast, which was released Thursday.
“To the point where his general manager told me — (his) junior general manager told me — that they’ve had him go to counselling over it, because he’ll play until all hours of the night and into the morning, and then he’ll have no energy the next day.
“He’ll be a write-off. And it is that bad. He has this compulsion for playing video games until all hours. I swore … that I wouldn’t say the player’s name. But it’s unfortunate.”
Marek also noted the information is between six months and one-year old. He also said that the player in question is a “recent first-round draft pick for a very, very prominent NHL team.”
“It’s a terrible story because this guy’s a good junior hockey player,” Marek added, talking to colleague Elliotte Friedman. “This guy’s a good player and was a high (NHL) pick. And I’m probably even saying too much right there, but there’s a good chance he’s not going to make it to the NHL and his (junior) general manager said, ‘Yeah, video game addiction’s bad. It’s bad with this kid.’”
Marek has refused to name the actual player, and we will not speculate on who it is in this story. However, we do hope that whoever it is, he gets the help he needs, and is able to overcome his addiction.
