Mike Ribeiro looks awful in latest interview, stays mum on what happened

The latest news we had from former National Hockey League top forward Mike Ribeiro was back in 2017, when he left the sport and was arrested in Florida for trespassing after warning.

It was no secret then that the former star was dealing with substance abuse issues for a long time, even leaving his professional circle completely without news of his well-being. 

On Thursday, Ribeiro held rare interviews with La poche bleue and TVASports.ca, revealing that he made the mistake of going on a partying binge before he turned 40 years old, as he hung up the skates. He admitted that if he had taken care of his body better back then and focused on his love of hockey, he could have helped a team to win a Stanley Cup. 

However, the picture the website has used of Ribeiro lets fans worrying if he is still struggling with his health. He looks nothing like the athlete he once was, he who was selected 45th overall by the Montreal Canadiens and ended up tallying 793 points in 1074 NHL games. According to a source from TVASports.ca, the picture was provided by Ribeiro himself. 

While Ribeiro explained how he thought he’d get picked up by another NHL team after being placed on waivers by the Nashville Predators, he stays mum on what has happened since he left the league and how he’s dealing with his substance abuse issues. 

Hence why fans are wondering if he is living in denial… Maybe it's just the impact of all his years of partying that have taken a toll on his body. 

Ribeiro did mention that he might consider becoming a hockey coach at some point in the future, however, when he offered his services to the Predators, he knew he wasn’t in a good place in his life. 

He joked about the fact that he should make his retirement from the game official, but we sure hope that he can be serious when it comes to his health and sobriety, especially if he wants to purse a coaching career in the NHL. 

We wish him the best of luck.