It was not all that eye-opening when it was revealed a number of deceased hockey players known for their fighting ability had suffered from CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy) following their careers.
But as news broke that skilled players, no longer with us, such as the late Hall of Famer Bobby Hull of the Chicago Blackhawks also had traces of CTE prior to death raised some red flags.
More and more, evidence shows players who don’t throw punches are just about as much at risk as those who do.
According to a CNN story, researchers at Boston University’s CTE Center found that Hull had stage 2 CTE when he died in 2023 at age 84.
Hull struggled with short-term memory loss and impaired judgment over his final decade. He chose to donate his brain after seeing former teammate and fellow Hall of Famer Stan Mikita decline late in life.
These developments and others have inspired the NHL Players’ Association to take the initiative to do more than just what the league has done.
In November, the Players’ Association announced it was forming an advisory committee to help hockey players better understand CTE and the damage that concussions can do to the brain.
Boston University published a study of deceased male hockey players and found that 18 of the 19 players examined, including non-fighters such as Hull, Mikita and Ralph Backstrom had CTE. It also found the odds of developing CTE increased by 34 percent for each year of hockey played.
For veteran players on the Flyers such as Scott Laughton and Sean Laughton, this recent research is cause for both concern and the need for more work in combatting the problem.
But at least they are encouraged by what the NHLPA is doing, since NHL commissioner Gary Bettman refuses to acknowledge there’s a connection between the physicality of pro hockey and CTE.
“I think we’re starting to get on the right track with it,” Laughton said after Friday’s practice at the Flyers Training Center. “I think there has to be a correlation. You play a pretty physical game at a high pace, it’s something you have to take care of.”
Players such as former Flyer star Keith Primeau have been forced from the game well before what should have been their retirement age because of this health issue.
Primeau still has to make concessions to his situation.
“You see too many guys after their career battle with it,” Laughton said. “I think the players’ association has stepped up here and we’re going to do something to try to get in front of it.”
That includes improving helmet technology, longer down time after a diagnosed concussion and more frequent testing following a serious upper-body contact incident.
“I think the science and the way it’s handled now compared to when I first entered the league (2012), it’s a lot better,” Laughton said.
“At the same time, it’s scary. I’ve had a couple (concussions) and it’s not fun. We have to figure it out.”
In the old days, players would take a game or two off and then jump right back into action. In 1989, former Flyer great Brian Propp was knocked unconscious by a questionable hit from Montreal defenseman Chris Chelios in a playoff game and spent the night in a hospital. But believe it or not, Propp missed only one game and was back playing again.
That probably wouldn’t happen if the play happened today.
“I think it’s a lot different now,” Laughton said. “It just depends on your symptoms. How you feel. I think the training staffs have a better understanding.”
One improvement: An independent spotter is at all NHL games. If a player takes a serious hit, the spotter has the right to call downstairs and have the affected player immediately removed from the game.
“I know it’s not fun in a game when you get pulled by a spotter,” Laughton said. “But I think they’re there for a reason. I think it’s really good for our league. It’s best to get it right and not have a guy whose trying to make it (the roster) play with something he doesn’t need to.”
Couturier has been in the league since 2011 and seen more than his fair share of hits. Like Laughton, he knows there’s still work to be done.
“I think everyone’s kind of realized over the years how important our health is after playing,” he said. “There’s a life after hockey. Guys are starting to take it more seriously.”
Couturier pointed out equipment technology has advanced.
“There’s work to be done,” he said. “But it’s encouraging to see guys taking their health into their own hands.”
NHLPA president Marty Walsh has been proactive in moving the process forward.
“He’s done a really good job coming in,” Laughton said. “There’s still a ways to go but it’s a start to see where we can get with this.
“You see too many players after they’re done playing go through things you really don’t like to see. So, try to get it right. The game happens way too fast now.”
