Kelly Hrudey talks about his new book, mental health, and The Great One

It was in December of 1992, amid a season in which he'd eventually play for the Stanley Cup, when former NHL goaltender Kelly Hrudey first felt his career crashing down around him.

Hrudey was having another solid year for the Los Angeles Kings, who went on to lose in the Cup final to Montreal that June. Yet, despite that success, Hrudey faced one of the toughest battles of his career: a struggle with mental health.

Hrudey shares his personal torment in his new memoir, "Calling the Shots," which hit bookstores Tuesday. The book, which Hrudey co-wrote with author Kirstie McLellan Day, reveals details of his most desperate times, including an instance when a panicked Hrudey climbed into a bathtub in Milwaukee, clutching a Bible.

"I had never shared that with anybody, and, at the time, I didn't know what I was going through. I had no idea what I was going through," Hrudey told theScore.

"I had no idea where my life was going. I was completely convinced that my career was coming to a crashing halt, and so, it was weird because I was still playing well. I was on the cusp of not playing well and I knew it, but at the time I was just fighting whatever was going on in my head."

Hrudey suffered in silence, as mental health issues weren't as well known and understood as they are today. In fact, this was the first time he opened up publicly about his psychological struggle.

"I'm glad I shared that in the book because it kind of really tells people that athletes could be going through something," said Hrudey. "I mean, it was very embarrassing and telling to show people that you are supposed to be the No. 1 goalie on maybe the most popular team in the world at the time, and, man alive, I was extremely weak at that point in my life."

But inner struggles certainly aren't all Hrudey shares with readers in his book, which focuses primarily on his time in the NHL and the relationships he formed. One of those relationships was forged a few years prior to his mental health issues, when none other than Wayne Gretzky decided Hrudey was a guy he should get to know.

"That's pretty weird. Crazy to think that Wayne had a big influence on trading for me," Hrudey said. "Wayne decided that they wanted somebody else in L.A., so he went to my manager at the time, Bill Torrey, at the All-Star game, and asked what it would it take, and Bill said there's not a chance. And then, shortly after that, Bill had a change of heart because things weren't going well on the Island.

"So, cool! What a life to go from a great experience in N.Y. to L.A. It completely changed my life."

Whether it was in New York with the Islanders, L.A. with the Kings, or San Jose with the Sharks, Hrudey always appreciated viewing the game from the unique perspective of a goaltender. That point of view led to a seamless transition from backstop to broadcaster at "Hockey Night in Canada," where his opinion on the game is as respected as they come.

(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)

And Hrudey isn't short on opinions. Consider, for example, his take on the NHL's recent crackdown on slashing:

"The slashing was out of control last year. Last year I said on the air, in October or November, they have to do something," said Hrudey. "Slashing has always been around, but, I noticed last year it was getting to the point where it was causing way too much harm. There were way too many injuries, and it continued the rest of the year and into the playoffs.

"So, I'm really happy they did something."

Hrudey made a name for himself during his playing days as a fierce competitor, and now that he spends his days as an analyst, he has used his platform to build another kind of reputation.

He kept his own struggles with mental health hidden from the public eye until now, but that hasn't stopped him from being an outspoken supporter of the initiative thanks to his work with his daughter, Kaitlin, who went public with her struggles with anxiety and other mental health issues in 2013.

"My daughter and I have been talking about her mental health issues for a number of years now, so she has great strength and she has changed a lot of people's lives," Hrudey said.

"She's helped a lot of people. So I think if she can share, then I can share too."

Hrudey's resume includes more than 760 NHL regular-season and playoff games, several international competitions, and a tenure as one of the most popular hockey analysts in hockey. But those accomplishments pale in comparison to what he feels is his crowning achievement.

"Let me just say this. My NHL career, my broadcasting career are OK, but my greatest work is with mental health."