NHLPA Establishes CTE Committee

For the first time, the NHL and NHLPA have acknowledged the connection between their sport and CTE.

Sep 29, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Avalanche right wing Jason Polin (41) is hit by Utah Hockey Club defenseman Montana Onyebucki (79) during the second period at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images / Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images

For years, the NHL has worked to make the sport of hockey safer and has tried to mitigate the amount of blows to the head players take. Despite the efforts to make the game safer, there was still a continued denial regarding the NHL and causes of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).

The new head of the NHL Players’ Association is changing that viewpoint, with the creation of the first ever CTE Advisory Committee. Marty Walsh announced the creation of the committee at the annual Concussion Legacy Foundation gala.

News: #NHLPA executive director Marty Walsh announced tonight in Boston that the players’ union has formed a CTE Advisory Committee - the first formal recognition in the hockey world of the devastating disease caused by repeated blows to the head.

Story coming on @DailyFaceoff.

— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) November 2, 2024

Not only is this a huge step forward in making the health of the players a priority in the NHL, but it’s the first time the league has acknowledged the science behind the disease.

“I knew there was something we had to do,” Walsh said. “I think it’s important for us to really do research of our own, to create an opportunity for players to understand the full impact of CTE. You have to understand the importance and the benefits of playing professional hockey, but you also have to look at the other side of the coin – the impact it has on players’ physical well-being and their head.”

According to Daily Faceoff, Walsh said he learned just how important the topic of CTE was for the players before landing the job as NHLPA executive director. Walsh and the PA also started planning this committee over Summer, but only recently made the information public.

The decision to form the CTE Advisory Committee was approved unanimously by the NHLPA.

The initial committee will consist of 10 active NHL players with the goal of spreading to have representatives from all 32 teams in the league. Medical experts will be involved and serve as guides for the committee.

“The NHLPA starting a committee is huge for the players,” CEO of the Concussion Legacy Foundation and co-founder of Boston University’s CTE Center Dr. Chris Nowinski said. “They need to choose their own destiny and I don’t think they’ve been getting the truth from the NHL. I hope they do the research and decide for themselves what risk is appropriate, how they can change the game and how they can support themselves long-term.”

Blows to the head have always been a part of hockey and it will be impossible to eliminate them completely, but starting this kind of committee is a huge step for the long-term safety of the players. Hits to the head are usually punished by the NHL, but that's about as far as things have been taken in the past.

Since the discussion of CTE began spreading around all sports, numerous former NHL players have been diagnosed with the disease.

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