Panthers' Spencer Knight Out Indefinitely; Goalie in NHL, NHLPA's Assistance Program

Florida Panthers goaltender Spencer Knight has entered the player assistance program and will be away from the team indefinitely, the NHL and NHL Players' Association announced Friday.

Knight will continue to be paid while receiving treatment and will not be able to return to on-ice competition until cleared to do so by the program's administrators.

The player assistance program, founded in 1996, is available to all players and their families and helps those struggling with mental health, substance abuse and other matters.

Knight was selected by the Panthers 13th overall in the 2019 NHL draft out of Boston College.

The Connecticut native made his NHL debut during the 2020-21 season as a 19-year-old and has appeared in 21 games for the Panthers this season, posting a 9-8-3 record with a 3.18 goals-against average, .901 save percentage and one shutout.

Knight was assigned to the American Hockey League's Charlotte Checkers on Wednesday alongside forward Grigori Denisenko.

The Panthers will rely on Sergei Bobrovsky and Alex Lyon between the pipes in Knight's absence. Florida sits fifth in the Atlantic Division with a 29-25-6 record.

Because of privacy laws, a player's reasoning for entering the player assistance program is not released.

The NHL and NHLPA's player assistance program has been used by players more often in recent seasons.

In October, Detroit Red Wings forward Jakub Vrana entered the program and wasn't reinstated until December. When he was cleared to return, Vrana did not reveal why he entered the program, telling reporters it was a personal matter.

Additionally, Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price used the program last season and later revealed he entered it for help with substance abuse and mental health.

"Over the last few years I have let myself get to a very dark place and I didn't have the tools to cope with that struggle," Price said in a statement. "Things had reached a point that I realized I needed to prioritize my health for both myself and for my family.

"Asking for help when you need it is what we encourage our kids to do. And it was what I needed to do."

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