Recent arrests of NHL players on charges of drug po se sion and other off-ice incidents have shined a light on a somewhat alarming trend in the league. The NHL isn't sticking their head in the sand about it, either.In an interview with Rick Westhead of TSN, NHL deputy commi sioner Bill Daly acknowledged the po sibility that cocaine use is on the rise among NHL players. :"The number of cocaine positives are more than they were in previous years and they're going up," NHL deputy commi sioner Bill Daly told TSN in an interview. "I wouldn't say it's a crisis in any sense. What I'd say is drugs like cocaine are cyclical and you've hit a cycle where it's an 'in' drug again."I'd be shocked Mychal Mulder Jersey if we're talking about a couple dozen guys. I don't want to be nave here but if we're talking more than 20 guys I'd be shocked. Because we don't test in a comprehensive way, I can't say."According to Daly, the league has approached the NHLPA about adding cocaine and other drugs like it to the list of banned substances the league tests for. As of right now, the league is only looking for performance enhancing drugs in the tests.TSN reports that among the one-third of 2,400 urine sample that are more closely screened showed the rise in drugs of abuse among NHL players. As a result, the league is putting even more emphasis on educating players regarding drug use and celebrity life on top of the push for stronger drug testing protocol.The NHL and NHLPA jointly run the Substance Abuse and Behavioral Health program that players can voluntarily and confidentially enter if they need help. The league also has a "Stage 2" of that program where a player can manditorily be placed in it.Over the last two seasons, two NHL players had been charged with po se sion of cocaine. In April of 2014, then forward Ryan Malone was pulled over on suspicion of DUI and was found to be in po se sion of cocaine. He pleaded no contest and agreed to a diversion program. Then in May of 2015, then- forward was stopped trying to enter a pool at a Las Vegas hotel. According to police reports, he was found to be in po se sion of cocaine and MDMA. He eventually pleaded to a le ser, non-drug charge of breach of the peace.Malone was eventually signed by the after submitting to the NHLs Substance Abuse and Behavioral Health program. He was later waived and sent to the minors, however, and is no longer with the organization. The Rangers also decided to take a chance on Stoll this past offseason and hell be on the teams opening-night roster.Though only two have faced charges in recent years, the league is obviously not nave enough to believe recreational drug use isn't more prevalent. That the league came out and acknowledged the po sible rise of cocaine use, however, is interesting. It suggests that they want to be as proactive on this as po sible and it also sends a me sage to players that they're watching closely. Additionally, it applies some public pre sure on the NHLPA to greenlight more stringent drug testing as it is specific to the wellbeing of the playing membership. The players would have to approve such a move, however.The league isnt hiding from this i sue, but theres obviously more that can be done.That's especially true after a summer that saw an alarming rise in off-ice incidents with players and staff. In addition to Stolls arrest, the Los Angeles Kings also terminated Mike Richards contract after he was reportedly detained at the U.S.-Canadian border with a controlled substance. He was later charged and faces a court hearing in December.The Kings have since enacted a personal conduct program that is designed to educate and counsel players on everything from domestic violence to nightlife in response to those incidents and defenseman Slava Voynov's arrest on domestic violence charges last October. forward Ryan OReilly was arrested in Ontario in July on impaired driving charges after his truck reportedly struck a Tim Hortons restaurant. His court date has been delayed multiple times and is now set for Oct. 22. star remains under investigation after being accused of raping a woman in his home in early August. a sistant coach and former NHL defenseman Darryl Sydor was arrested on charges of DUI and child endangerment after he was pulled over with his son in the car. He is currently undergoing treatment at a rehab facility.Most recently, forward Zack Ka sian was suspended without pay and placed into the NHLs Substance Abuse and Behavioral Health Program after he was involved in an early-morning accident Sunday. Ka sian was the pa senger in a vehicle that reportedly struck a tree at around 6:30 a.m. He sustained a broken nose and left foot in the crash. Not all of these incidents are tied to drug use, but it is more apparent than ever that NHL players are finding themselves in pretty bad situations. The league is not immune to off-ice incidents that could negatively impact its reputation and that of its players. As a public entity, the NHL has a responsibility to try to curtail such behavior.Acknowledging these problems in a public manner as the league has done now may allow the NHL to further addre s their concerns before they get worse. Nate Thurmond Jersey