Tuesday, September 10, 2002
In retrospect, signs of Karalahti's problems were evident
By John Glennon
The Tennessean
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — When he picked up Jere Karalahti at the airport, only hours after the Predators had acquired him in a trade from Los Angeles, Nashville Coach Barry Trotz formed a couple of early impressions of the big defenseman.
He was encouraged by Karalahti's fitness and enthusiasm, and as the two drove toward Gaylord Entertainment Center, Trotz remembers Karalahti as vibrantly upbeat about the fresh start that awaited him.
But when introducing Karalahti to his new teammates, Trotz — fully aware of the defenseman's background as a recovering substance abuser — couldn't help but notice the contrast between his clean-cut team and Karalahti, who sported a shaved head, a goatee that hung below his chin and an upper body covered with tattoos.
“This,” Trotz remembered thinking to himself, “might be like bringing a biker into a Baptist church.”
A month ago, Karalahti proved Trotz's second opinion and lingering concerns correct, violating the NHL's substance abuse policy and earning a six-month suspension without pay.
In retrospect, there were signs almost immediately following his arrival that Karalahti had not come to grips with his past, that he lacked discipline on and off the ice, and that he wasn't intent on becoming the player the Predators had hoped when they dealt leading scorer Cliff Ronning to Los Angeles for him.
Consider that one of Karalahti's first actions in Nashville was to celebrate on the town with friends he knew from Los Angeles. Consider that he never quite got around to moving his wife and daughter here from the West Coast, and that he never impressed teammates with his work ethic, and maybe it's not so surprising that Karalahti eventually admitted to tumbling off the wagon.
“I never got the impression from him that becoming an impact hockey player was extremely important to him,” Predators center Greg Johnson said. “We all have choices and potential, but other things just seemed more important for him.
“He had the responsibilities of a wife, a daughter and being a professional, but I just didn't see the dedication or the strong ambition to make something positive happen. It could have turned out great for him because of this second chance.
“But it's nobody's fault but his. How many people in this world would have loved to have the opportunity he was given?”
Predators officials made sure they put an extensive support system in place for Karalahti, who was already in Stage Two of the league's substance abuse program when he came to Nashville.
He'd been placed in Stage One when he first entered the NHL during the 1999-2000 season, the result of an admitted serious drug problem as a teenager in Finland. The advancement to Stage Two, which mandated regular drug and alcohol testing, came about after a drinking episode two years ago.
“He probably had more support than any other player in a similar situation,” Trotz said. “He had all the people he needed, from our team psychologist, to the Nashville Predators organization, to his teammates, to the NHL. But you have to want to help yourself.”
And that didn't necessarily seem to be the case.
Sure, going out on the town to celebrate the trade was probably no big deal. But of more concern was the fact Karalahti never brought his family to town, despite saying he planned to do it in a matter of days following his arrival. It hardly seemed logical behavior for a player seeking to remain grounded.
“It was something we tried to make happen with him and his family,” Trotz said. “Every day he was asked if he was going to get his family here, and he always had a lot of excuses.”
On the ice, Karalahti showed some of the form that had interested the Predators in the 6-foot-2, 210-pounder, hammering opposing forwards and moving the puck smoothly.
“If it hadn't been for his problems, he's a prototypical NHL defenseman,” Trotz said. “He's big, strong as an ox and he has good puck sense.”
But despite his natural talents, Karalahti didn't seem to have much drive.
“He wasn't motivated,” Trotz said. “When you're not focused and you're not motivated, you're not going to perform at the top level of any sport. And if you're not focused and committed, you're going to come across as a person who doesn't push himself.”
The 27-year-old Karalahti also seemed to lack a certain discipline off the ice, unwilling or unable to steer clear of potential trouble spots.
“He was a good guy, but he was obviously someone that needed some borders, or some parameters or clamps, however you want to put it,” defenseman Bill Houlder said. “He was someone you needed to watch. You hate to say that about someone his age, but he just needed some direction.”
The hockey lifestyle, one that features a lot of time to kill, as well as plenty of hours on the road, probably didn't help.
Karalahti had even more time on his hands when the season came to an end in April. Still having failed to move his family to town, Karalahti remained in Nashville prior to the start of The World Championships in Sweden. Trouble, it seemed, was brewing.
“I know he went out a few times after the season,” said Predators defenseman Kimmo Timonen, a friend of Karalahti's for 15 years. “It's just very hard for him to be a guy that can't take any beers every now and then. He can't do it.”
Karalahti proved Timonen right earlier this summer, returning from a league-mandated, five-week stay at a Las Vegas rehabilitation clinic and almost immediately going on a drinking binge in Nashville.
“If I know myself at all, I know that zero tolerance with alcohol won't work,” Karalahti recently told a Finnish newspaper. “I don't really believe I can do that, and I don't even have the will to try.”
Timonen spoke to Karalahti only a few days ago, and said Karalahti is taking a couple of weeks off, trying to figure out what his next step should be. The Finnish elite league is upholding the NHL's six-month suspension of Karalahti, meaning he won't be playing for quite some time in his homeland, either.
Predators' staff and players are unanimous in their belief that Karalahti will probably never play again for Nashville. But he has left plenty of emotional baggage: Sadness for Karalahti's unsuccessful battle with a disease, frustration over a trade gone awry, and anger over the defenseman's perceived lack of commitment.
“He's clearly putting alcohol ahead of everything in his life,” Predators General Manager David Poile said. “That's a sad commentary.”
Trotz, the person who picked up Karalahti at the airport, remembered one other final detail from Karalahti's stay here.
In the hours after the Predators learned of Karalahti's failed drug test, the organization placed a call to his wife in Los Angeles, telling her not to bother making her long-awaited trip to Nashville.
She'd planned on flying here the next day. But by then, it was clearly too late.
———
John Glennon covers the Predators for The Tennessean. He can be reached at jg1sport@aol.com or 914-259-8262.
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In retrospect, signs of Karalahti's problems were evident
