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Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy in the National Hockey League The National Hockey League is a professional ice hockey league which consists of 31 teams across North America, with its inaugural season dating back to 1917. The NHL is currently facing scrutiny from media outlets, parents and former players regarding their intentions and current policies surrounding player safety. With continued debate among concussions, long-term effects and contact sports, more specifically football, the NHL and ice hockey have crept its way into the conversation and not in a good way. Chronic Truamatic Encephalopathy (CTE) is a neurodegenerative disease, and is most common in those with multiple head injuries

Concussions have always been a part of contact sports, but the information or lack thereof that we have on concussions is increasing in volume, but the problem still persists. A concussion is a brain injury which can range from minor to signficant impairment on brain function. A concussion incidence can have an immediate onset, or a delayed onset of symptoms from anywhere from minutes to a week.

The NHL started their concussion protocol in 1997, but did not make sufficient strides in terms of player saftey until 2011, when a more comprehensive concussion protocol was initiated by the NHL and NHLPA

The connection between concussions, CTE and ice hockey came along in aburpt fashion when beloved Detriot Red Wings enforcer, Bob Probert, and his brain were sent to Boston University for an autopsy in 2009, revealing for the first time in the national media a ice hockey player with CTE The harpoon which tackled the NHL was within a few months in the summer of 2011, 3 widely beloved enforcers died from suicide and later was revealed all suffered from CTE.