The sky is usually the limit for a player with the talent of former NHL forward Patrick O’Sullivan. If you look at his numbers during his formative years, he appeared destined for a long, successful professional hockey career.

However, in his new book “Breaking Away: A Harrowing True Story of Resilience, Courage and Triumph.” O’Sullivan reveals that while he was making his way through the ranks of amateur hockey as a top prospect, he was also dealing with his abusive father John and the kind of home life most can only imagine in their worst nightmares.

“People had an idea that my dad was different, he was pretty calculated though with what he was doing,” O’Sullivan told TSN.ca. “The older I got, the sloppier he got and was doing things in public that I later discovered people saw.  I think people knew and I think they were scared to look into it or get the authorities involved and that’s one of the messages I’m trying to bring with the book. People have to have a voice for kids; they aren’t capable of taking the situation into their own hands.”

Deciding to finally tell the tale of mental and physical abuse he suffered at the hands of his father was part of the recovery process for the Toronto-born, American-raised former pro player.

“I think anytime someone decides to put their life on paper have it open for everyone to read and talk about and dissect, it’s something you have to think twice about,” said O’Sullivan. “For me, I was at the point in my life where I had talked a lot about myself and done a lot of therapy to get my life in a better spot and it’s something that I decided needed to get out there. It’s a mental health thing and a parenting thing.”

O’Sullivan’s star shone so brightly that at the age of 16, the Mississauga IceDogs made him the first- overall pick of the 2001 OHL Priority Draft. He didn’t disappoint in his first season, earning 92 points in 68 games on his way to being named the Ontario and Canadian Hockey League rookie of the year.

Few knew that the rink was the only place the young superstar could find solace from the terrible problems waiting for him at home.

“Playing and going to the arena was the only time I didn’t have to worry about my dad being three feet away from me,” said O’Sullivan. “It was my freedom; it was the one time that mentally I could actually relax.  It’s what I lived for and that’s what I had to think about when I was dealing with the hard stuff and the abuse.  I love the game of hockey and I was willing to put up with everything my dad was doing so I could keep playing.  Without the game I don’t know what would have happened.”

While he hid from the abuse in plain sight, O’Sullivan continued to excel at the junior level, eventually being named captain of the IceDogs. In the 2003-04 season he scored 43 goals and helped lead the team to the OHL final where they were eventually defeated. 

He attributes his junior success to a natural talent advantage that he would later find waning as he had to compete against better players.

“At the junior level I was physically so much more talented than most of the guys I was playing against,” O’Sullivan said. “I just got by on my talent alone. Once you turn pro you start to learn about the game and your deficiencies. The difficulties I had growing up became more apparent the older I got and the further along I went in my career.”

Despite all of his accomplishments, he slipped to the second round of the NHL draft before being selected by the Minnesota Wild 56th overall.  Even his draft moment wasn’t without the drama of having to be flanked by extra security, hired in case his father attempted to violate the restraining order the rest of family held for protection.

He would have one 20-goal season with the Los Angeles Kings in 2008-09, but mostly bounced around the league as a journeyman, spending time with the Wild, Kings, Edmonton Oilers, Carolina Hurricanes and Phoenix Coyotes before calling it a career with 58 goals in 334 games.

“A couple years ago when I stopped playing hockey I wasn’t very happy with my career. I was disappointed given my expectations, maybe other peoples,” said O’Sullivan. “If you look at talent and skill alone, obviously there is a lot more that goes into playing in the NHL. Looking at it now, I’m really proud and shocked that I made it at all.”

Now a father of two, O’Sullivan has to decide if he’ll let his kids participate in the game that gave and took so much from him. 

“I certainly have the handbook for what not to do as a sports parent,” he said. “I selfishly would prefer that my kids not play hockey.  Recently they’ve show interest in it and teaching them how to skate. If it is something they want to pursue I will fully support that.”

As for his future, the 30-year-old would welcome a chance to get back to the game and give back to current players either on or off the ice.

“I’ve spoken to a few teams about doing some different player development stuff,” he said. “There needs to be some programs in place starting at the junior level where teams, organizations and leagues have people  showing the players that there is someone one there for mental health. 

“It has to be looked at the same way you would go into the trainer’s room for a bag of ice; it has to be that type of situation.  We have guys that pass away from mental health issues and for whatever reason it isn’t taken seriously enough.  I hope I can help to move that in the right direction.”