Latest news with #BobbyHull
Bloomberg
22-02-2025
- Health
- Bloomberg
The NHL Has a CTE Problem. Fans and the League Don't Care.
Bobby Hull, one of the greatest players in the history of the National Hockey League, was celebrated for his physicality on the ice. But those talents, it turns out, came at a cost. This week Hull's widow revealed that he suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, when he passed away two years ago. The disease, caused by repeated brain injuries, is associated with memory loss, impaired judgement, aggression and other symptoms. The NHL doesn't seem to mind. During this week's highly touted 4 Nations Face-Off matches between the USA and Canada, fighting and physicality were widespread and celebrated. That's a brutal and sorry memorial to Hull, and a reminder that fans, hockey media and the league have yet to reckon with the well-documented toll of the NHL game.
CBS News
20-02-2025
- Health
- CBS News
Blackhawks legend Bobby Hull had CTE, brain analysis reveals
Hockey Hall of Famer and Blackhawks legend Bobby Hull had CTE, a recent brain analysis revealed. Hull died in 2023 at the age of 84 and his widow released the results of a brain analysis through the Concussion Legacy Foundation. She said she wants to raise awareness about the long-term effects of repeat head injuries in hockey. His family says at his insistence, they donated his brain to a CTE center at Boston University. Researchers diagnosed him with stage two or four of the disease. His family says for the last 10 years of his life, Hull struggled with short-term memory loss and impaired judgment. The National Hockey League Players' Association announced in November it was forming an advisory committee to help hockey players better understand CTE and the damage that concussions can do to the brain. In December, researchers at Boston University published a study of deceased male hockey players that showed 18 of the 19 NHL players examined — including Hull, Mikita, Ralph Backstrom, Bob Probert, and Derek Boogaard — had CTE. It also found the odds of developing CTE increased by 34% for each year of hockey played. Hull was a two-time NHL MVP who helped the Chicago Blackhawks win the Stanley Cup in 1961. Nicknamed "The Golden Jet" for his speed and blond hair, Hull was one of the most prolific forwards in NHL history, scoring 610 times over 16 seasons with Chicago, Hartford and Winnipeg. He dazzled generations of Blackhawks fans with his shooting and skating skills and remains the franchise's career leader with 604 goals. Hull also had 303 goals while playing for the Jets in the World Hockey Association for seven seasons.
Washington Post
20-02-2025
- Health
- Washington Post
NHL legend Bobby Hull had CTE when he died, according to researchers
Hockey legend Bobby Hull was diagnosed posthumously with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), according to his widow, who authorized the information to be shared on Wednesday by the Concussion Legacy Foundation. Hull died in 2023, at which point his family donated his brain to researchers. That was in accordance with his wishes, said Deborah Hull, his wife of almost 40 years, after he witnessed the suffering late in life of longtime Chicago Blackhawks teammate Stan Mikita. A fellow Hockey Hall of Fame inductee, Mikita was diagnosed with CTE a year after he died in 2018.
CBC
20-02-2025
- Health
- CBC
Hockey great Bobby Hull had CTE when he died, researchers find
Bobby Hull, the Hall of Fame hockey player and two-time NHL MVP had chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) when he died in 2023 at age 84, according to researchers at Boston University's CTE Center. Hull had donated his brain to science to advance research on the disease.
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Researchers confirm Hall of Famer Bobby Hull had CTE when he died
CHICAGO — Bobby Hull, the Hall of Fame forward and two-time NHL MVP who helped the Chicago Blackhawks win the Stanley Cup in 1961, had chronic traumatic encephalopathy when he died two years ago, his widow said in a statement released on Wednesday. Researchers at Boston University's CTE Center found that Hull had stage 2 CTE when he died in 2023. He was 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 his life. 'Seeing the pain and heartache suffered by his lifetime friend Stan Mikita's family, Bobby felt strongly no other family should have to endure CTE,' Deborah Hull, his wife of 39 years, said in a statement. 'He insisted on donating his brain, feeling as though it was his duty to help advance research on this agonizing disease.' Nicknamed 'The Golden Jet' for his speed and blond hair, Hull was one of the most prolific forwards in NHL history, scoring 610 times over 16 seasons with Chicago, Hartford and Winnipeg. He dazzled generations of Blackhawks fans with his shooting and skating skills and remains the franchise's career leader with 604 goals. Hull also had 303 goals while playing for the Jets in the World Hockey Association for seven seasons. 'We are grateful to Bobby Hull and all of the NHL players and families who are helping us learn how to prevent, diagnose, and treat CTE,' said Dr. Ann McKee, director of the Boston University CTE Center. 'We encourage retired players and their families to reach out for help and care if they are concerned about CTE, as we are learning how to effectively treat symptoms, especially in mid-life.' The National Hockey League Players' Association announced in November it was forming an advisory committee to help hockey players better understand CTE and the damage that concussions can do to the brain. In December, researchers at Boston University published a study of deceased male hockey players that showed 18 of the 19 NHL players examined — including Hull, Mikita, Ralph Backstrom, Bob Probert, and Derek Boogaard — had CTE. It also found the odds of developing CTE increased by 34% for each year of hockey played. A degenerative brain disease, CTE has been identified in athletes and military combat veterans who sustained concussions or repeated blows to the head. It can be diagnosed only posthumously through an examination of the brain.
