TORONTO – St. Louis Blues prospect Zach Dean has entered the NHL and NHL Players’ Association’s Player Assistance Program.

The league and the union said Wednesday in a joint release that Dean will be in the program for an indefinite period and will return to the Blues when cleared by the program administrators.

The release did not detail why Dean is getting assistance from the program, which provides confidential support and treatment for players and their families dealing with mental health, substance use or other personal issues.

Dean, a 22-year-old centre who was born in Grande Prairie, Alta., and raised in Mount Pearl, N.L., was selected by Vegas in the first round, 30th overall, at the 2021 NHL draft. St. Louis acquired him in a February 2023 trade that sent forward Ivan Barbashev

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