Former NHLer Had Degenerative Brain Disease

Revelations that Bob Probert suffered long-lasting head trauma will fuel more debate about headshots in Canada’s game.

Probert was the classic old-school hockey enforcer, engaging in hundreds of fights over the course of his 16 seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Redwings. After he died last year of a heart attack at age 45, his widow donated his brain to Boston University, where scientists determined he had suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a disease caused by repeated blows to the head that can result in dementia and erratic behaviour. The news of his condition comes as the NHL is embroiled in a fierce debate over whether it needs to do more to protect players from headshots. The league’s star player Sidney Crosby remains sidelined after suffering two concussions in January.