Louis Domingue opens up about mental health struggles

Goaltender Louis Domingue, who signed as a free agent with the Pittsburgh Penguins this offseason, got very open and honest during a media avail on Wednesday in regards to his mental health.

Domingue, 29, has bounced around both the NHL and AHL in recent years, which he admitted has played a major part in his struggles with mental health.

«I bounced around that year (2019-20) when I went from Tampa to Syracuse, to Binghamton to Jersey, to Vancouver, and then in the bubble,» Domingue said. «And then I went to Calgary, where I didn't really play. I practiced with three people on the ice every morning before the team practiced. Since COVID hit, it's been really hard, not only on me and my game, but also my mental health. It's tough to balance family, hockey, and staying motivated when you're not involved in team activities.»

Domingue went on to say that since signing with the Penguins, their goaltending coach in Andy Chiodo has made an immediate difference for him, and has really helped him in terms of both his on ice play and his well being off it. Thankfully, things seem to be going better for him, and it could really help turn around his play, as he admitted he wasn't always putting in his best effort the past couple of years.

«If I told you I put in the full effort the last two years, it wasn't the case. Looking back, I left some on the table in (New) Jersey,» he said. «Not because I wasn't working hard, but to me it's all about my headspace, how I'm approaching my work and my level of motivation. This summer, I wasn't in a good headspace whatsoever. I didn't believe in myself; I didn't believe I could be back to where I was. And to be honest, my game on the ice, even in practices, wasn't showing either.»

«Now I really made a switch. I came here thinking I was motivated, but I really wasn't. Now it really switched instantly for me. I really feel like, feel motivated. I feel like I'm going somewhere. I really made the decision to invest everything into myself and hockey.»

Last season, Domingue played in just three games at the AHL level and one in the NHL. As he mentioned, it made it tough to get in any sort of rhythm doing so. With the Penguins, he is expected to begin the season in the AHL and provide depth in case of injury to either Tristan Jarry or Casey DeSmith. Hopefully for his sake he is able to get his career back on track and more importantly, continue getting better in terms of his mental health.

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