Richard Clune and sobriety
Former NHL player Richard Clune has been open about alcohol use disorder and the treatment that helped him rebuild his life. He has remained sober for more than a decade and now uses his story to support other people facing addiction.
Clune reached professional hockey while alcohol was increasingly controlling his life. His career continued for a time, even as his health and relationships were deteriorating.
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Richard Clune’s recovery timeline
- Alcohol and drug use become increasingly difficult to manage while Clune is trying to establish an NHL career.
- He enters treatment, but the first attempt does not create lasting sobriety.
- A later return to treatment comes when he is more willing to accept that the problem cannot be managed alone.
- Clune rebuilds his hockey career while sober and later moves into coaching.
- He has continued speaking publicly about addiction and the support that helped him recover.
Elite sport can make addiction easy to misunderstand because discipline in one part of life can exist alongside complete loss of control in another. Clune was able to train and compete at a professional level while alcohol and drugs were still damaging him. His recovery became more stable when the goal stopped being proving he could handle the problem himself and became accepting sustained help.
Alcohol became part of life in hockey
Clune has described drinking from a young age and gradually becoming dependent on alcohol. The culture around professional sport made it possible to keep functioning for longer than he should have.
Teammates and coaches could see that he was struggling. Some offered help, but Clune has said he was unable to accept it until he was ready.
The first treatment attempt did not last
Clune entered rehab once and left after only a few days. He then spent roughly two more years trying to hold onto his career while alcohol continued to dominate his life.
Eventually he knew the situation could not continue. His brother Matt drove him to treatment while Clune was experiencing severe withdrawal symptoms during the journey.
Playing professional hockey sober
Clune returned to professional hockey after treatment and played sober. He later shared his story through The Players’ Tribune and the documentary Hi, My Name Is Dicky.
His recovery became part of his work beyond playing. Clune has spoken about making treatment accessible and about the value of people continuing to offer support even when someone is not ready to accept it yet.
A recovery story built around accepting help
Clune’s experience is a strong example of why an unsuccessful first attempt at treatment does not settle what happens next. He returned when he was ready and built a long period of sobriety afterwards.
If this story has made you think about your own drinking, read our guide to quitting without willpower or see how to quit drinking without AA.
Want to read more recovery stories? Browse our celebrity sobriety stories hub for more famous people who have spoken about alcohol, drugs, relapse and recovery.
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