Sam Poulin announces return to hockey after taking leave of absence

After taking a personal leave of absence due to personal reasons back in December, Sam Poulin has announced he is returning to play hockey.

In a message shared on Instagram, Poulin said he made the decision to take a break from hockey to take care of himself and focus on his mental health and seek the help that he needed.

Poulin says that he’s ready to return to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and thanked a number of people including his family, girlfriend, friends, teammates, fans, and the entire Penguins organization for both love and support.

Poulin also encouraged everyone to speak openly about mental health due to the fact that it affects everyone.

He also reminded anyone who is struggling that they are not alone.

Prior to taking a leave of absence, Poulin had scored four goals in 13 games for the Pens’ AHL affiliate this season. He also appeared in three NHL games, logging one assist.