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Report: NHL demanding concussion-related documents from CTE researchers

Published Sep. 24, 2015 2:05 p.m. ET

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A concussion lawsuit by former NHL players against the NHL took another turn, as Canada's TSN reported Wednesday that the league is targeting researchers at Boston's Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy who have drawn a link between playing in the NHL and a degenerative brain disease.

According to TSN, the league is demand the researchers hand over concussion-related research as well as any of the center's communications with NHL officials, players, agents and players' family members by Oct. 1. 

BU's Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy has been at the forefront of research into concussions and chronic traumatic encephalopathy, more commonly known as CTE. 

The NHL's demands come less than six months after NHL commissioner Gary Bettman told reporters in Chicago that he does not see a link between concussions and CTE. 

"I know there are a lot of theories, but if you ask people who study it, they tell you there is no statistical correlation that can definitely make that conclusion," Bettman has been quoted as saying. 

CTE Center co-founder and executive director Chris Nowinski responded to Bettman's comments on Twitter. 

Last week, Boston University and the Department of Veterans Affairs reported that a recent study indicated signs of CTE in 87 out of 91 brains studied from former NFL players. That's a 96-percent rate of CTE. NFL players are also engaged in a lawsuit against the NFL in relation to concussions.

The degenerative brain disease was found in several former NHL enforcers, including Derek Boogaard, Reggie Fleming, Rick Martin and Bob Probert. Some former players from both the NHL and NFL have also had their brains donated to centers like the one at BU in order to help contribute to further research. 

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