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Nick Paul continues to be a strong advocate for mental health.
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For each point he records this season, the Maple Leafs forward will donate $150 to jack.org, which supports youth mental health, the NHLPA revealed in a story on its website on Saturday.
The initiative is a continuation of the charity work the 31-year-old Paul did through his Points by Paul program while he was with the Tampa Bay Lightning and earlier in his hockey career.
“With the way the world is now, especially with social media, discussing and supporting mental health has never been more important,” Paul told NHLPA.com on World Mental Health Day, which is observed annually on Oct. 10. “We have come a long way in accepting that it’s OK to let people know you are not OK and to get help.
“Before, it was more about hiding it and trying to push through on your own. That doesn’t always work out, whatever the facet of your life that it happens to be.
“To have all these resources and support now — helplines, facilities, camps, celebrities and people in the public eye — it truly makes a big difference for people who are going through difficult times and need somewhere to turn and to be inspired by other people’s openness. If you can be a voice that gets a message of hope across, you embrace that opportunity.”
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Acquired by the Leafs in a trade with Tampa this past summer, Paul, a native of Mississauga, had two points in five games prior to Toronto’s game in Colorado against the Avalanche on Saturday night.
“We’re very excited about teaming with jack.org,” Paul said. “They do great work in helping young people and creating awareness about the importance of mental health.”
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