NHLPA executive director Marty Walsh announces CTE Advisory Committee

NHLPA executive director Marty Walsh made a historic announcement on Friday night in Boston, revealing the creation of a Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) Advisory Committee.

This pioneering committee marks a formal acknowledgment by the NHL of the dangers posed by CTE to its players.

Repeated head injuries and concussions can lead to CET, a degenerative brain disease. It has been found posthumously in many former NHL players.

The dangers of CTE have been a topic of discussion for the NHL and NFL especially in light of research showing the impacts of head trauma in contact sports.

Both leagues have come under scrutiny for their handling of concussion protocols and player safety regarding head injuries.

The news comes on the heels of the NFL's recent admission regarding the link between football and CTE. With the NHLPA now forming a committee, both major sports leagues publicly acknowledge CTE risks.

The announcement comes after the March death of former NHL enforcer Chris Simon. When asked about CTE following Simon's passing, NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly claimed "the science linking CTE to headshots is still lacking."

Fans react to NHLPA's announcement of CTE Committee

Fans reacted to the NHLPA announcement on formation of a committee focused on chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).

Many are questioning why it took so long to form a group dedicated to this issue, with one tweeting:

"Insane that this didn’t exist long before now."

Another fan wrote:

"Step #1: STOP ALLOWING FIGHTING."

Here are some fan reactions:

"Might want to check the guy who is allegedly in charge of the safety of the players." one fan wrote on X.

"I hope to see when the @NHL finally moves into the 21st century. The trouble is they gotta get dragged out of the 19th century first." another fan wrote.

"Who cares if even the NHLPA has no appetite for appropriately sanctioning hits to the head?" a user commented.

"meh… idk about this… a bunch of soft ceos and anti fighting suits are getting together and probably trying to ban fighting." another user wrote.

The creation of the CTE Advisory Committee signals a step forward for the league in recognizing CTE's impacts on players' long-term health.