A large study, of 77 deceased male ice hockey players, has found that the odds of having chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) increased by 34% each year played, and 18 of 19 National Hockey League players had CTE. CTE is a neurodegenerative disease caused by repeated traumatic brain injuries and most frequently found in former contact sport athletes exposed to repetitive head impacts (RHI). While many perceive CTE risk as limited to enforcers, this study makes it clear that all male ice hockey players are at risk.
