Panthers' Nate Schmidt sheds light on growing cannabis culture in the NHL, decline of partying 

When Florida Panthers defenseman Nate Schmidt first joined the NHL 10 years ago, cannabis was not nearly as popular. In fact, it was looked down upon. That's no longer the case. The perception has changed even if some players are still hesitant to speak about it.

Schmidt said (via The Athletic):

“For younger players, the stigma has disappeared. For older players, it hasn’t.”

Schmidt doesn't even use the substance. He has heard from his teammates that it is a great way to unwind after a game or long day and it's much less invasive than drinking.

The Florida Panthers star recalled hearing about how many players played hungover. So many hockey stars get drunk one night and then play while dealing with a hangover the next. That's not the case with younger players today. Not many will even show up to the rink if they're feeling slightly hungover.

“You show up and guys are 100 percent all the time," Schmidt said. "You can’t be at 80 percent.”

It marks a stark change from the NHL Schmidt joined when he first got out of college. It's a change, however, that the Panthers star believes is good for the league and its players.

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Blackhawks veteran shares Nate Schmidt's idea that social situations have changed

Nate Schmidt believes the NHL's party scene is a relic of the past. Chicago Blackhawks veteran Alec Martinez agrees, and he might have the answer as to why that happened.

Alec Martinez agrees with Nate Schmidt in one way (Credits: IMAGN)

Via the Athletic, Martinez says COVID-19 helped usher in a new era. He believes young players who came in from 2020 to 2022 got used to hanging out in their hotel rooms alone instead of going out to party.

“I guess guys just got in the habit of staying in," Martinez said. "It’s almost like there hasn’t been enough time for things to really reverse."

That goes hand in hand with Nate Schmidt's observation that drinking is on its way out and smoking is on its way in. That is more of something done privately, whereas drinking is much more social. If players aren't out partying, then they must be looking for other ways to relax and spend their free time.