Brantt Myhres is a former NHL enforcer, a bestselling author, a certified specialist in Substance Abuse and Mental Health, and a leading voice in addiction recovery and mental health advocacy. His journey from a lifetime NHL suspension to sober coach, author, and keynote speaker proves that even from the darkest moments, true transformation is possible.
Brantt Myhres doesn’t just tell a story — he lives a story of extreme resilience, redemption, and transformation.
Brantt is the only player in NHL history to be suspended for life due to substance abuse — a devastating fall from a career spent battling as one of hockey’s most feared enforcers. After four failed drug tests and four league-mandated rehab stints, the NHL had no choice but to issue a lifetime ban. Brantt’s addiction to cocaine and alcohol cost him everything — his career, his livelihood, and almost his life. But his story didn’t end there. In 2008, after hitting rock bottom, Brantt got sober and rebuilt himself from the ground up. He returned to school at the University of Calgary, earning his certificate in Substance Abuse and Mental Health, determined to turn his pain into purpose.
In 2015, he made history again, not as an enforcer, but as a healer, when the Los Angeles Kings hired him as the NHL’s first-ever sober coach to mentor players and staff battling addiction and mental health challenges. In 2020, he shared his journey with the world through his memoir Pain Killer: A Memoir of Big League Addiction, which became a #1 national bestseller within two weeks of release.
Today, Brantt is a highly sought-after keynote speaker and the host of the UnHammered Podcast, inspiring audiences through raw storytelling, deep authenticity, and a hard-earned belief that hope is a conviction built one day at a time. His Indigenous roots, resilience, and brutal honesty give him a voice that speaks to those in recovery and those fighting for a second chance.
Brantt’s keynotes are electrifying, unforgettable, and grounded in lived experience that bridges professional sports, recovery, mental health, and Indigenous strength.
