from Rick Westhead of TSN,

The National Hockey League Players' Association is finalizing plans on a watershed program to help current players return to school and prepare them for a multitude of issues they will face in transitioning from playing careers to retirement.

The program was conceived several years ago and will be unveiled at a time when the union is facing criticism from both current and former players about whether more can be done to help players cope with the stress of leaving hockey.

In April - two months after former Chicago Blackhawk Steve Montador was found dead in his home at age 35 - his one-time teammate Daniel Carcillo said in an online video that the NHLPA hasn't done enough to help its members move on with life. NHLPA executive Mathieu Schneider said that criticism is deserved, adding that a new program may mark a turning point.

TSN has learned that for the past two years, Schneider and his colleagues have been quietly researching professional sports leagues around the world, consulting with sports industry executives as far away as in New Zealand about programs that help active professional athletes improve levels of education and prepare for post-playing careers.

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