Henri Richard, the Hockey Hall of Famer who holds the NHL record of 11 Stanley Cup titles as a player, has been diagnosed posthumously with the degenerative brain disease chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).
Richard died in March 2020 at age 84 and the diagnosis of Stage 3 (out of 4) CTE was made by Dr. Stephen Saikali at Laval University in Quebec City, according to a news release from Concussion Legacy Foundation Canada.
Richard’s son, Denis, authorized the release of the results.
“I hope my father’s brain donation and diagnosis will lead to more prevention efforts, research, and eventually a CTE treatment,” he said in a statement. “I want people to understand this is a disease that impacts athletes far beyond football.”
CTE can only be diagnosed after death in the study of a donated brain and has been linked to repeated head trauma. It can cause memory loss, depression and violent mood swings.
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Concussion Legacy Foundation Canada said CTE has been found in the brains of 16 of 17 NHL players studied. Though that list includes fighters such as Bob Probert, it also has been found in skilled players such as Stan Mikita, Ralph Backstrom and now Richard.
“Henri Richard was not an enforcer and CTE still ravaged his brain. It is far past time for all of us in the Canadian sports community to acknowledge the long-term effects of repetitive impacts on the brain,” said Tim Fleiszer, the foundation’s executive director and a four-time Grey Cup champion from the Canadian Football League. “We are grateful to the Richard family for their decision to share Henri’s diagnosis publicly to help others and are hopeful it will inspire change.”
Richard, the younger brother of Hall of Famer Maurice “Rocket” Richard, played 20 seasons in an era before the league mandated helmets. He won 11 Stanley Cups with the Montreal Canadiens from 1956 to 1973, including five in a row from 1956-60.
“He fits none of the easy stereotypes, checks none of the easy boxes,” Hall of Fame goalie Ken Dryden, a former teammate, said in a statement. “Played in a different time, old-time hockey, all the fights? Not Henri. Big hitter? Not Henri. Like Stan Mikita and Ralph Backstrom, he was a great skater, and physical, but he had a playmaker’s mind, and played that way. But all those hits to the head. We have to understand, whatever the sport, a hit to the head is not a good thing.”
Contributing: Associated Press
