Bobby Ryan had been dreading this day for months.



In an emotional 10 minutes, he opened up to reporters at Canadian Tire Centre about his struggle with alcohol abuse and his road to recovery.



“I am doing very, very well,” he said. “It’s been trying at times, but everybody’s been very supportive and my recovery has been a process and a learning thing for me for sure, but I’ve come a long way and just continuing to get a little bit better with it each day.”



Ryan, 32, has been back in Ottawa and skating since December. But Friday afternoon was the first time he spoke to media since November when it was announced Ryan had entered the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program.



Ryan had been dealing with alcohol abuse issues for a long time, and he tried to figure things out on his own. He realized that it wasn’t enough. A panic attack was one of the catalysts to enter the program and seek more...