Former Soo Greyhound writes about the dark side of hockey

As Canadians, we never tire of sharing our favorite hockey stories, whether it’s memories of when we played hockey ourselves or when our favorite team won the Stanley Cup.

But in recent years, the game has shown a darker side as stories of abuse – physical, mental, emotional or sexual – have come to light.

These stories have become part of what is now referred to as “hockey culture.”

When Justin Davis — a former Soo Greyhound forward — began writing his memoir, dark stories from his own experience in that culture came back to haunt him.

Davis is a Burlington native and spent his OHL career in Kingston, Sault Ste. Marie and Ottawa.

Despite the book title – Conflicted Scars: The Average Player’s Journey to the NHL – Davis’ talent showed in the OHL.

When the Ottawa 67s won the Memorial Cup in 1999, he led the tournament as a goalscorer. He was drafted by the NHL’s Washington Capitals in 1996 but never played an NHL game, instead playing in the varsity ranks, in Europe and with senior AAA teams.

Hockey took its toll on both body and mind. That included his days as a hunting dog, and the injuries he sustained at the Sault were now affecting his life.

Davis suffered multiple concussions during his playing days and suffered from headaches, depression and some memory loss.

“I was afraid that in 15 years I wouldn’t remember much of my career, so I figured I’d write this memoir when my kids get older,” Davis said.

“I wrote this book as a memoir for my kids that no one else should read, but somehow it got picked up by a literary agent and a publisher, so maybe I’m here for a reason, to help with hockey culture and what’s going on is.”

Davis suffered a severe concussion while playing with the Greyhounds in a 1997 road game against the Plymouth Whalers.

Davis said the team delayed getting him medical attention quickly and appropriately at a Detroit hospital.

“I passed out and had bleeding in my brain. They were trying to get me to Canada from a hospital in Detroit. The Soo Greyhounds tried to bill my family for medical expenses because they didn’t want to pay the US medical bills.”

The billing issue was handled by Davis’ agent.

“My parents called Allan Walsh, who was my agent at the time. Allan was great,” Davis recalls.

“At the time, I was a third-row winger on the team. I think if it had been a first line player they would have taken him to the hospital. So I’m writing from the average gamer’s perspective. We have to remember that an injured player may not be the best player on the team, but they’re all kids and everyone needs help when they’re injured.”

Some hardships had nothing to do with injuries on the ice.

As a 17-year-old playing for the OHL’s Kingston Frontenacs in the 1995-96 season, Davis and six other players were forced to participate in a “hot box” ritual.

Naked, their clothes tied into a ball, they were all forced into the small washroom at the back of the team bus to try to get dressed and get out as quickly as possible.

Davis began playing hockey at age five and was often away from home while playing in the OHL.

He found himself trapped in this uncomfortable part of hockey culture.

“They don’t have that parental influence. Your team is your family. The abnormal becomes normal. When you’re in the hot box and in the back of the bus, you think standing naked in the bus bathroom with six other guys is a normal rite of passage,” Davis told SooToday.

Another part of his troubled years as an OHL player was his involvement with teammates in an off-ice incident involving a paintball gun.

“It’s only when you step back and step into another world that you realize that stuff isn’t normal,” Davis said.

Davis, a 44-year-old married father of three who works as a high school teacher in Guelph, wrote his story and published it in a book.

Whether it’s ending abuse or giving concussions proper attention, Davis said his approach to writing his book is that “the cultural aspect needs to be cleaned up and we need to put in people who have some accountability and we have to stop doing things that we have done in the past. We need to bring in new faces and new voices. That’s the only way things change.”

“The hot box and other harassment are no longer allowed, but the Kyle Beach sexual assault incident with the Chicago Blackhawks happened in 2010 and then there was the Hockey Canada incident in London in 2018, which is very disheartening. I thought that was over, but I think it isn’t and we need to deal with it.

Aside from his work as a high school teacher, Davis has volunteered for the past 14 years as a chapel leader at Hockey Ministries International — a Christian organization — helping hockey players who are struggling or just need to chat.

“It is completely voluntary for players who wish to participate. We’re talking about life. It’s a format for kids to talk in,” Davis said.

“There’s some accountability and that’s what people need. Two days ago a former player contacted me. He said he needed to talk so we spoke on the phone for 30 minutes which is why I’m here. I’ve been through everything I didn’t have people to talk to, so I think my journey has brought me to this point.”

“I attend chapel, I’m a player mentor, and there’s also a police officer in Guelph who’s a former player. So if something happens to a player or something is going on, they can reach out to us independently of the coach and GM and that’s a huge resource.”

“People have told me their stories of what happened to them. It was a good opportunity for them to strike up a conversation. I think it was a good thing to come out of that. In hockey, it’s emotionless and you’re told not to speak, so people are allowed to share their stories and engage with some of the things that are on their minds right now.”

Davis said despite his experiences, he wasn’t angry.

Instead, he’s there to listen and help transform hockey culture.

“I’m not looking to get everyone. I’m not trying to make money or fame from this. I just want to use my platform to contribute to change.”

“Hockey is designed to teach kids how to be a good teammate and we’re trying to get NHL players from the age of six and unfortunately the culture gets mixed up with that.”