NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman reiterated that there is no “link” between chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) and concussions, in his response to inquiries from Sen. Richard Blumenthal(D-Conn.) about the long-term risks of head trauma. Bettman said. “A causal link between concussions and CTE has not been demonstrated” and “the relationship between concussion and the asserted clinical symptoms of CTE remains unknown.”
CTE is on the mind of former NHL players, too. Eric Lindros, who had his career cut short by concussions, told the New York Daily News in February: “To not be worried about it would be impossible to do.” CTE can lead to depression, lack of impulse control and dementia, and can most accurately be discovered in an autopsy.