On the shelves behind the changing benches in the Carolina Hurricanes’ locker room, you’ll find plenty of hockey tape, a repair kit or two, maybe an energy drink or some concoction that looks like a mix between a mudslide and a smoothie. On Brett Pesce's shelf, though, there’s another always-present object.
It’s an albuterol inhaler.
The Hurricanes defenseman suffers from asthma, a condition that causes his airways to constrict. It sometimes leads to excess mucus, coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath. Albuterol helps to counteract the condition, but asthma can be difficult to manage no matter the circumstances.