Allan Walsh, an NHL manager, is known for being outspoken and frequently criticizing the league's commissioner, Gary Bettman.
In a recent tweet, Walsh criticized Bettman and the NHL's handling of head injuries and CTE. Walsh cited a peer-reviewed study that showed a deadly connection between enforcers and CTE, as 11 of 21 players who died were found to have the condition.
The study, which followed 6039 NHL players from 1967 to 2022, revealed that NHL enforcers died at similar rates to controls but approximately 10 years earlier. The causes of death among the enforcers included neurodegenerative disorders, drug overdose, suicide, and motor vehicle crashes, whereas only 1 of the 24 age-matched controls died from similar causes (motor vehicle crash).
Walsh's criticism of Bettman's denial of the study's findings is valid, as the NFL has acknowledged the link between head injuries and CTE. The NHL's reluctance to embrace these findings is a sign of regressive leadership, and it may result in a significant lawsuit against the league and its owners.
