Bobby Hull, the two-time Hart Trophy winner, three-time scoring champion and Hockey Corridor of Famer, was identified posthumously with stage 2 continual traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), in line with his autopsy brain-tissue evaluation launched Wednesday by his spouse, Deborah, and the Concussion Legacy Basis.
Hull’s household donated his mind to a mind financial institution at Boston College for research after he died in 2023 on the age of 84.
Deborah Hull stated Bobby struggled with short-term reminiscence loss and impaired judgment during the last decade of his life, signs per CTE, which stems from repeated blows to the top.
BREAKING: Hockey Corridor of Famer Bobby Hull identified with stage 2 #CTE by @bu_cte after his demise in 2023.
For almost the final 10 years of his life, Hull struggled with lots of the cognitive signs of CTE. His widow says Bobby knew his historic profession got here at a worth.
READ:… pic.twitter.com/6RdAwWChCU
— Concussion Legacy Basis (@ConcussionLF) February 19, 2025
Hull’s longtime teammate with the Chicago Blackhawks, Stan Mikita, additionally had CTE in line with the BU CTE Heart. Mikita suffered from Lewy physique dementia earlier than his demise. Mikita was a part of a research of a gaggle of 19 deceased NHL gamers, 18 of whom have been posthumously identified with CTE. The research discovered that the chances of growing CTE improve by 34 p.c for every year of hockey performed.
“Seeing the ache and heartache suffered by his lifetime pal Stan Mikita’s household, Bobby felt strongly no different household ought to must endure CTE,” Deborah Hull stated in a press release. “He insisted on donating his mind, feeling as if it was his responsibility to assist advance analysis on this agonizing illness.”
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has been steadfast in his refusal to acknowledge a hyperlink between taking part in within the NHL and growing CTE.
“NHL households need to know that CTE is usually a consequence of the top impacts they obtain whereas taking part in the sport,” stated Chris Nowinski, CEO of the Concussion Legacy Basis. “The NHL nonetheless shamelessly refuses to acknowledge this scientific reality, so we hope this message reaches present gamers in order that they, at a minimal, can play with knowledgeable consent.”
Dr. Robert C. Cantu, the medical director of the Nationwide Heart for Catastrophic Sports activities Harm Analysis, instructed The Athletic earlier this season that Bettman is standing in the best way of gamers’ well being.
“I feel hockey has a fairly good concussion protocol for these which might be acknowledged with concussion,” Cantu stated. “I feel hockey’s carried out the correct factor about taking away checks to the top, making them unlawful. I feel hockey might educate a bit of greater than they’re doing concerning the long-term results of repetitive head trauma.
“Some necessary studying on some CTE papers won’t be a foul factor. … When you eliminate Bettman, I feel issues can be totally different.”
(Photograph of Bobby Hull in 2013: Jonathan Daniel / Getty Photographs)
