NHL recognizes increase in cocaine use, hoping to augment banned substances list

The NHL has reportedly approached the Players' Association in an effort to have cocaine and similar substances added to the banned list in response to a spike in positive tests this summer, reports TSN's Rick Westhead.

"The number of (cocaine) positives are more than they were in previous years and they're going up," NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said.

"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."

Players are subject to two drug tests per season, with the possibility of seeing other random tests for steroids and other performance-enhancing substances. Only about a third of those tests screen for cocaine and other party drugs.

Daly says the NHL will focus on preventative measures this season, educating players on the dangers and ill-effects.