NHL says ‘science is still lacking’ regarding link to CTE and blows to the head in hockey

The question was raised after the family of Chris Simon said the former NHL enforcer died by suicide this week. In a statement provided to ESPN, the family said they “strongly believes and witnessed firsthand, that Chris struggled immensely from CTE which unfortunately resulted in his death.”

CTE can only be diagnosed posthumously, so the family’s belief is conjecture at this point, which can be confirmed if his brain is donated to science for examination. Simon filed for bankruptcy in 2017, with debts owed including more than $128,000 of child support. At the time, he claimed he was unable to work as a result of injuries sustained during his hockey career. 

In the document he submitted to the Ottawa court system, Simon said he had symptoms linked to CTE, including depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder, stemming from brain trauma suffered while playing hockey.

CTE has been associated with concussions and headshots, resulting in traumatic brain injuries. The league has stood firm in disputing any links between the sport and CTE, despite scientific research suggesting otherwise.

“Chris’ passing is tragic, it’s sad,” NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said. “We extend our deepest condolences to his family and friends. On all of these matters, we wait to see what the medical experts tell us.

“Having said that, I think it’s well documented with all of the progress that we’ve made over the last couple decades to make the game as safe as possible.”

Daly’s comments on Wednesday were the first time the NHL had been asked about their view of the link in years. Bettman has repeatedly said science has not made a conclusive link. In 2022, the U.S. National Institutes of Health publicly confirmed that CTE is caused by repetitive traumatic brain injuries. In 2023, Columbia University released a study of more than 6,000 NHL players from 1967 until 2022. They determined that enforcers – players who had 50 or more fights in their careers – on average died a decade earlier than those with much fewer bouts. Enforcers were also more likely to die of suicide or drug overdoses, which have often been linked to people with CTE.

According to the Mayo Clinic, there “is currently no way to definitively diagnose CTE during life.”

Other former NHL enforcers who died at a young age include Bob Probert, Steve Montador, Derek Boogard, Wade Belak, and Rick Rypien. Boogard and Rypien were active players at the time of their deaths.

Henri Richard, who won 11 Stanley Cups with the Montreal Canadiens, was diagnosed with stage three CTE after his death in 2020. He had embarked on a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease.