When Gemel Smith joined the Bruins last season, he was unsure of his NHL dreams, and himself.
In his first full season with the Dallas Stars, he had often been marked as a healthy scratch. Claimed off waivers by Boston, he moved to a new city, where he knew no one, and had no desire to change that.
In a video released by Canada’s TSN, Smith revealed that Patrice Bergeron reached out to check on him, a move that helped him realize how deep he was falling into depression.
“It’s a new environment for him, it’s going to take time, but at the same time, it seemed like something was up,” Bergeron said.