Mike Ribeiro appears to be in dire straits.

The longtime NHL forward's family and representatives haven't been able to contact him recently and he had a substance abuse relapse in December, his agent, Bob Perno, told TSN 690's Tony Marinaro on Thursday.

The agent last spoke to Ribeiro at the end of last season and has been attempting to contact his client lately to no avail.

"I have been trying as (recently) as last week and he's not answering any calls ... so this is a real issue now," Perno said, adding that not even Ribeiro's wife or children have been able to reach him.

"The last time he saw the kids was at the end of the season ... (his wife) Tam(ara) let him see the kids for a little while and then he left and basically has dropped off the map," the agent lamented.

Despite these troubling revelations, Perno doesn't believe Ribeiro has hit rock bottom.

"I really don't think so, because all the experts say, when you hit rock bottom, that's when you reach out for help. And he hasn't reached out for help yet this year," Perno said.

"He had a relapse probably just before Christmas, so ... I don't think he's hit rock bottom," the agent added. "We're trying to get a hold of him in Nashville. We know he's somewhere in Nashville. His family has seen him. His wife has seen him, briefly, and then he disappeared into the woodwork. We're trying to get a hold of him (but) he doesn't answer his phone. Nobody hears from him, so I don't think he's hit rock bottom."

Perno declined to get into the specifics of which substances Ribeiro is struggling with, but said Ribeiro was clean for about two years before cutting his most recent rehab program short.

"It is a nightmare, and it's a very sad situation that a player with such talent (who has) had such a great career ... to end on this note is ... it's sad and I'm worried," Perno said. "I'm just frustrated because what else can you do?"

Ribeiro, 37, played the last three seasons with the Nashville Predators. He was waived by the club in February and eventually assigned to the AHL's Milwaukee Admirals, with whom he finished out the 2016-17 campaign.

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