Analysis shows former Blackhawk Steve Montador had CTE

[DMelt36]

I don't believe he's the first former NHLer to have this diagnosis, but it does give us a very recent example.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/analysis-shows-former-nhl-defenceman-steve-montador-had-cte/article24392707/

Researchers who autopsied the brain of former NHL defenceman Steve Montador have discovered he had chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, the progressively degenerative disease that’s been linked to repeated blows to the head.

Montador, who died in February at age 35 of an undisclosed cause, had sustained multiple concussions during his hockey career and had been exhibiting signs of a possible brain disorder, including depression, memory problems and erratic behaviour.

Neurosurgeon Dr. Charles Tator, head of the project, said the analysis of Montador’s brain showed he had widespread deposits of a protein called hyperphosphorylated tau. The abnormal protein in brain cells is a marker for CTE.

“And he had a lot of it,” said Tator.

Now, I'm not sure what effect this has on the NHL. The lawsuits being filed against the league are different than the NFL ones from what I've gathered, because I've seen articles that maintain the NFL was aware of these long-term health risks in the 90s but still tried to sweep them under the rug.

But, as detailed above, it's not necessarily the big hits to the head that cause these long-term issues, it's those repeated blows to the head that guys like fighters will take for decades that lead to symptoms like CTE.

I understand that there is an inherent risk in playing a sport like this, but I also think there needs to be some better responsibility on behalf of the NHL on how they treat players after they retire.

Wonder if this leads to another loud roar from the anti-fighting crowd in the NHL.

Thoughts?

 

[Gustavus Adolphus]

Excluding the idea of CTE, what are the positives of making fighting illegal in hockey? What are the negatives of making fighting illegal in hockey?

 

[Chief Walking Stick]

Can the Blackhawks countersue for all of the money he stole while being terrible.

 

[ClydeLee]

Can the Blackhawks countersue for all of the money he stole while being terrible.

No, because he was the only player scoring on the PP somehow. He was their 2nd best fill in addition to the D since the cap removal times only under Oduya.

If you change fighting, you change roles of some players and if they're relevant to having. You alter the policing policy by players and have to see how that shifts with how refs dish out rules and what happens if fighting is illegal and a dirty hit on a teams star gets missed by the refs, you're on the verge of fights wanting to break out but can't and you need rules and discussion on what refs should do in that situation or teams might get benefits of PPs by taking dirty hits.

 

[Variable]

Excluding the idea of CTE, what are the positives of making fighting illegal in hockey? What are the negatives of making fighting illegal in hockey?

Certain players lose their spot in the NHL (which has been happening anyway). That's about it for the negatives. The positives are finally moving on from an outdated, antiquated belief which should mean making progress on other aspects in the game that relied on having the belief in place.

 

[DMelt36]

Excluding the idea of CTE, what are the positives of making fighting illegal in hockey? What are the negatives of making fighting illegal in hockey?

Positives, IMO:

Eliminating players from the roster who's sole purpose, it seems, is to get into fights. This is becoming an incredibly rare aspect of the sport, but there are still slugs like Colton Orr who don't do much other than goon it up. Opens up spots for other types of players.

Fewer moments where star players sit in the box for 5 minutes because they had to defend their own/a teammate's honor in a fight.

Negatives:

Honestly, I got nothing.


I've become fully indifferent on the topic of fighting in hockey. If it stays, I don't care. If it goes, I don't care. It's not why I watch the sport.

 

[Chief Walking Stick]

Excluding the idea of CTE, what are the positives of making fighting illegal in hockey? What are the negatives of making fighting illegal in hockey?

Oh God now you've done it.

 

[DMelt36]

Another huge positive is that it could help get Don Cherry to shut the **** up.

 

[HeHateMe]

Another huge positive is that it could help get Don Cherry to shut the **** up.

I like Don Cherry. Has a lot of personality. What's your beef with HIM?

 

[Variable]

There needs to be better responsibility in the NHL in how they treat players WHILE they're playing. Meaning, team doctors have to have some shred of integrity in them and start saying no to coaches in clearing players to play when it's obvious they shouldn't be.

 

[Gustavus Adolphus]

Oh God now you've done it.

I would really like to understand both sides of it from people much more knowledgeable than I.

 

[Chief Walking Stick]

I like Don Cherry. Has a lot of personality. What's your beef with HIM?

Probably jealous of his fashion sense. Cherry probably also used to be a male model in the late 50s.

 

[Chief Walking Stick]

I would really like to understand both sides of it from people much more knowledgeable than I.

You won't be getting any intelligent thought from either side here.

 

[Gustavus Adolphus]

You won't be getting any intelligent thought from either side here.

Fair enough. I thought the answers thus far have been pretty good.

 

[BlackHawkPaul]

You won't be getting any intelligent thought from either side here.

...or anywhere on the internet.
There's not much grey area in that debate. You're either for players policing on the ice or for the argument that it doesn't affect anything.

 

[DMelt36]

I would really like to understand both sides of it from people much more knowledgeable than I.

Others can correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe a lot of the pro-fighting crowd point to the notion that fights are how you protect star players on your own team from being victims of cheap shots. And it's also a way to "spark" your team if you feel they're playing particularly lethargic on a given night.

The anti-fighting crowd will tell you that those theories are all bullshit. And I must say, they have some rather compelling arguments in their favor.

The Enforcer Fallacy: Hockey's Fighting Specialists Don't Protect Anyone

If I find more links like that, I'll post 'em.

 

[DMelt36]

I think more and more people are coming around to the side that the staged fights where two players agree, typically before a faceoff, that they're going to drop the gloves is just fucking stupid.

But those fights that are spontaneous and develop from a moment of pure hatred for something a player does or says ... those ones I can understand.

 

[HeHateMe]

Others can correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe a lot of the pro-fighting crowd point to the notion that fights are how you protect star players on your own team from being victims of cheap shots. And it's also a way to "spark" your team if you feel they're playing particularly lethargic on a given night.The anti-fighting crowd will tell you that those theories are all bullshit. And I must say, they have some rather compelling arguments in their favor.

The Enforcer Fallacy: Hockey's Fighting Specialists Don't Protect Anyone

If I find more links like that, I'll post 'em.

100% agree with you Dmelt.

 

[DMelt36]

100% agree with you Dmelt.

That's not what I think.

 

[HeHateMe]

I think more and more people are coming around to the side that the staged fights where two players agree, typically before a faceoff, that they're going to drop the gloves is just fucking stupid.

But those fights that are spontaneous and develop from a moment of pure hatred for something a player does or says ... those ones I can understand.

Again, AGREE COMPLETELY