Rich Clune remembers the first time he met Dr. Meg Popovic. How could he forget? She played a significant role in changing his life for the better back in 2016.



“She’s done enough for me in this short period of time than most people have done for me in my life,” he said. “And I really mean that, that’s not just a figure of speech.”



Clune has always been open about his struggle with drugs and alcohol and how the game of hockey played a part in his substance abuse. He said he had hit a roadblock in his recovery when he met Popovic, a life coach who focuses on improving emotional well-being. At the time, she was serving as a consultant with the Maple Leafs before being hired full-time in the spring of 2018.



“I’ve got a resource on a day-to-day basis that I can lean on and talk to confide in,” said the Toronto Marlies forward.



Very little has been written about her role with the Leafs, but it’s...