The NHL and hockey in US and Canada are reeling from a third death when Wade Belak was found dead Wednesday, August 31, 2011, in Toronto. Belak had been in Toronto to participate in Battle of the Blades, a CBC competition show that pairs figure skaters with hockey players.
According to a USAToday article and AP source, a person familiar with Belak’s death said he hanged himself at a downtown luxury hotel and condo building. The details of the investigation were confidential, so the informant spoke to the press on condition of anonymity.
Wade Belak was an enforcer, a fighter and scraper, for five teams in the NHL before retiring in March. Belak was big enough at 6’5” and 220 pounds. Belak made a living sticking up for his teammates and that job may be what helped kill him. John Lu has a nice article about his impressions of Wade Belak: "Lu: Memories of Wade Belak, a man of contradtictions" at TSN.
"You always worry about a guy when he retires — is he really prepared," Nashville Predators senior vice president of communications Gerry Helper said. "Wade had so many things going that he had to turn things down because he had so many opportunities for himself."
But the list of NHL enforcers passing this year is piling up.
New York Rangers player Derek Boogaard, 27, died May 14, 2011, and Winnipeg Jets player Rick Rypien, 27, died Aug. 15, 2011.
Boogaard died of an accidental overdose involving alcohol and a prescription pain medication oxycodone. Rypien's cause of death hasn't been announced, but it is thought he suffered from depression. Rypien was discovered earlier in August 2011 at his home in Alberta when police inspected his home on a “sudden and non-suspicious” death call.
All of these deaths are causing fans, players, and management to take notice. . . finally. Gary Bettman, the NHL Commissioner, and Don Fehr, the executive director of the NHL Players Association, issued a joint statement after Belak’s death saying, “tragic events cannot be ignored,” and pledged to review the league’s substance abuse and behavioral health programs.
"We are committed to examining, in detail, the factors that may have contributed to these events, and to determining whether concrete steps can be taken to enhance player welfare and minimize the likelihood of such events taking place. Our organizations are committed to a thorough evaluation of our existing assistance programs and practices and will make immediate modifications and improvements to the extent they are deemed warranted," the statement said.
Joe Warmington of the Ottowa Sun says, “Time is now for NHL to take action.” In fact, that’s the title of his article where he asks the NHL, “But what is it going to do about it?”
“Could these deaths lead to a ban on fighting?” asks Warmington.
“They could,” he says.
Certainly, the NHL and other hockey organizations down to the smallest level of play, have instituted new and stricter guidelines on concussion policies. Yet, NHL still allows players to fight and I have to admit, I ‘loves me’ a good fight, yet, I wish no one to be physically injured.
Scientists are now studying Wade Belak's brain, looking for evidence of brain-related problems. Definitely, more study needs to be done in this area.
And hockey news is full of players who cannot play this coming season because of concussions, like Marc Savard, All-Star center for the Boston Bruins, will, according to Bruins' GM Peter Chiarelli, probably never play in another NHL game. Pittsburgh Penguins Sidney Crosby, out since Jan 5, 2011, is uncertain when he'll return to hockey.
Bob Probert, former Red Wing (1985-94) and Blackhawk (1995-2002) and one of NHL's top fighters along with Joe Kocur and known as the "Bruise Brothers" back in the first NHL draft class with Steve Yzerman, had a degenerative brain disease. He died July 2010 with chest pains and ultimately heart failure, collapsing on his boat. According to researchers at Boston University who autopsied Probert's brain, Probert had Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE). And he's not the only one.
Reggie Fleming, a 1960s enforcer who played before helmets became mandatory, was also diagnosed with CTE. He died July 1, 2009, at the age of 73 with dementia, with 30 years of behavioral and cognitive difficulties.
Keith Primeau was forced to retire in 2006 from the Philadelphia Flyers due to concussions. He played 15 seasons in the NHL, and was a teammate of Probert, will donate his brain to the University for the CTSE study.
"The diagnosis of CTE in Probert's brain is not necessarily an indictment of hockey, as he received brain trauma during hockey fights as well as outside of sports, including a major car accident," Chris Nowinski, the Sports Legacy Institute's co-founder and chief executive officer, said. "Reggie Fleming, the only other NHL player diagnosed with CTE, also was an enforcer, so we need further study before this research can truly inform that ongoing, and important, debate."
What is CTE?
Chronic traumatic encephalopathy or CTE is a degenerative brain disease that results in behaviors similar to Alzheimer’s disease (AD). However, according to researchers, CTE has a clear environmental cause (repeated brain trauma) rather than a genetic cause. In other words, CTE is the only preventable form of dementia.
Head injuries, disease, and death aren't only in the NHL.
Dave Duerson, former NFL Chicago Bears, agreed to donate his brain to the study of "concussion crisis" in sports by the University before he shot himself in the chest, rather than the head, on February 7th, 2011, presumably, Alan Schwarz says at The New York Times, "so that his brain could be examined" by the University. He committed suicide at the age of 50 after complaining to family members of his deteriorating mental state during his final months. He was found to have the same trauma-induced disease recently found in more than 20 deceased players.
Dallas sports fans are familiar with football concussion injuries, even if from the Dallas Cowboys: Jason Witten, Jimmy Robinson, Tashard Choice, Dwayne Harris, and Ring of Honor Quarterback Troy Aikman, finally leaving football after his tenth concussion, to name a few. And the Dallas Stars with recent injuries from Jamie Benn, Mark Fistric, Louis Eriksson, John Tavares, and Brad Richards, as well as older players, probably too many to name, but you'll remember Eric Lindros who retired on May 1, 1996, with post-concussion syndrome.
Matthew Barnaby, former Stars enforcer, is now retired and enforcing sports on the air as a broadcaster. Barnaby had signed a one-year deal as a free agent with the Stars on July 5, 2006. He suffered a concussion while playing against the Phoenix Coyotes on January 9, 2007. He played 39 games with the Stars. Due to the effects of his concussion, Barnaby retired from the NHL in July 2007.
Even the Texas Stars with their defenseman Severin Blindenbacher but this one was from a car accident.
Dr. Ann McKee directs the Neuropathology Core of the Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTSE), where she is responsible for conducting neuropathological analyses of brain tissue and maintaining the Center’s Brain Bank, considered to be the largest brain bank in the world. She has analyzed the brains of 40 former athletes and found that more than 30 showed signs of CTE. That includes 13 of 14 former NFL players, college and high school football players, hockey players, pro wrestlers and boxers.
More than 300 athletes, including 100 current and former NFL players, are on the CSTE's brain donation registry. There are 65 cases currently being studied. The CSTE "brain bank" currently has 68 specimens.
The NFL donated $1 million to financing the long-term effects of football brain trauma. What is the NHL doing?
So far, Rule 48 and NHL's crackdown on concussions is slowly taking hold, but is it enough? Undiagnosed, and now we see even diagnosed, head trauma injuries lead to more than a concussion, which is bad enough. Brain injuries also lead to other problems in players' lives, such as dementia, depression, and drug abuse and dependence.
"We are only beginning to appreciate the consequences of brain trauma in sports," said Chris Nowinski,. "Early evidence indicates that the historical decision not to discourage contact to the head was an enormous mistake, and we hope aggressive changes continue to be made to protect athletes, especially at the youth level."
How will this shake out this upcoming 2011-12 hockey season?
We’ve yet to see, but be sure, changes they are a comin’.
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