Late NHL veteran Greg Johnson's CTE diagnosis spurs call for league action

The death of Greg Johnson, a former player of the National Hockey League, and his posthumous diagnosis of chronic traumatic encephalopathy has brought into discussion the issue of repetitive brain trauma prevalent in contact sports. Dr. Ann McKee, the director of the Boston University CTE Center, confirmed Johnson's CTE diagnosis.

Johnson spent his playing career in the NHL for 14 years. He was posthumously diagnosed with a degenerative brain disease after his suicide at age 48. This has led the family of Johnson as well as the Concussion Legacy Foundation to call on the NHL to recognize and act on the relationship between repetitive head trauma and CTE.

Carson Johnson, Greg Johnson’s daughter, shared her disappointment in the NHL for not taking sufficient measures to address CTE.

"I had no idea what CTE even stood for when my dad took his life," Carson said (via statement released by the Concussion Legacy Foundation). "Now understanding that the hits he endured throughout his hockey career damaged his brain, I want all athletes to understand the risks.

"And I want the NHL to start acknowledging it exists and do more to protect its players, so other daughters don’t have to lose their fathers," Carson said.

So far, the NHL has rejected such a link between repeated brain trauma and long-term neurological disorders. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, in a testimony before a Canadian parliamentary committee on May 1, 2019, said:

“Other than some anecdotal evidence, there has not been that conclusive link … there has not been conclusive determinations.”

Greg Johnson's wife Kristin's statement on his concussions

Originally from Thunder Bay, Ontario, Greg Johnson played for organizations such as the Nashville Predators, Chicago Blackhawks, Pittsburgh Penguins and the Detroit Red Wings. He also won a silver medal representing Team Canada in the 1994 Winter Olympic Games in Lillehammer.

“This diagnosis took my breath away,” said Kristin, Johnson’s wife (via Concussion Legacy Foundation). “Greg’s death shattered our world."

Johnson’s death is part of a growing pattern among former NHL players. To date, 17 of the 18 NHL players' brains studied in the U.S. and Canada have been diagnosed with CTE.

"We never once thought this disease was something he struggled with." Kristin said, "He experienced very few symptoms that we knew of, but he spoke of his concussions often. I remember the exact moment he told me his heart condition, forcing him to retire was a blessing because he couldn’t take another hit. He knew his hockey career had a profound impact on his brain.”

The NHL has been criticized by the affected families and medical practitioners, particularly for failure to accept the relation between CTE and RTP. The fact that Greg Johnson had been diagnosed with CTE has made people urge the league to be more proactive when it comes to protecting its players.