Study Links Longer Hockey Careers to Higher CTE Risk

A new study from Boston University has found a link between the length of an ice hockey player's career and their risk of developing chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain disease. The study, published in JAMA Neurology, examined the brains of 77 deceased male hockey players and found that over half had CTE, with the incidence increasing with longer careers. The study highlights the need for further safety measures in hockey, despite existing efforts to reduce head impacts. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has previously denied a direct link between professional hockey and CTE.