CTE & Ice Hockey Survey
Based on data collected between 10/23/18 and 12/8/18 by Steve McGuire. Visualization created in Tableau. Methodology detailed at the bottom of the page.
ON The nhl's response
"The league is scared to admit it, the NFL just had to give up a billion dollars in a lawsuit for CTE. Change starts from the top and goes down."
"In my eyes, the NHL treats CTE studies and their conclusions as a significant financial risk to their product. By acknowledging CTE exists due in part to playing hockey, they will expect to see settlement costs skyrocket, youth hockey enrollment plummet, and general interest in the sport fade. As these factors obviously affect thier bottom dollar, I believe the NHL will stay at arm's length from accepting any responsibility for CTE injuries."
"The NHL is burying it's head in the sand when confronted with scientific evidence, and thus does not support their players"
ON Personal Experience
"I’ve experienced concussions playing recreational non-contact hockey. If I get concussions playing at that low competitive level, I imagine it must be prevalent in professional leagues. They’re more common from big, open ice legal hits to the body than hits to the head. While hits are crucial to the game, the only way to significantly reduce concussions is to police hits from being so violent. Not that I’m advocating to or against that kind of measure, but my belief is that to have a real impact on the rate of CTE is to police hits so they’re less violent."
"In lower level juniors especially with players who are in their final year with no future seem to take unnecessary risks to injure others instead of making the right hockey play. There seems to be a lack of support for people with CTE or concussion problems and it happens in the top leagues in the world."
"My three sons play and two of them have had a total of 6 concussions (4 for one, two for another). I am very concerned about about the long-term effects of these. I can't really imagine the level of damage players are sustaining at the college, junior and pro level and suspect it's more problematic and widespread than the league cares to acknowledge. I read a lot of Player's Tribute essays by players and head injury recovery and mental health problems are common theme."
ON the "CTE in Hockey" Myth
"CTE is not proven to be linked to repetitive head contact"
"Head contact, smart players like nhl’ers barely have hits that will lead to CTE"
"There is not enough evidence to support a direct connection."
ON Players' Attitudes
"You know the risks of playing hockey."
"It is an unwritten rule in hockey; you shake it off. Playing at a high level, and over the course of 60 minutes, undoubtedly you will receive a big hit where your brain ‘shakes.’"
"There are dangers all across the world. It is not ice hockey that hits people in the head. Other people do."
ON Awareness
As someone new to playing hockey and a casual fan I have not heard of CTE being a problem at any level but it wouldn't surprise me."
"It's always in the back of everyones mind. Anything to do with concussions are constantly discussed and it is seen as the worst case. Would rather break a leg that be concussed. Legs will heal, the long term impact of concussions are scary."
"Can’t really say, obviously concussions are common but I don’t really know how it’s effecting guys long term."
ON Comparisons
"While not as punishing as boxing or football in the constant sub-concussive impacts that can contribute to CTE, hockey definitely has some significant issues with the number of extraordinarily high impact hits. This in addition to components of the game like fighting are contributing factors."
"While CTE is an issue in the sport of hockey (especially for enforcer type players), I don’t believe the condition is as prevalent as it is in say, football."
"When you read that a study of NFL and NCAA football players 99% where found to have CTE... it seems negligent to not assume something similar is going on in hockey. Steve Montador was only 35. Its so sad to think of a rookie like Kotkaniemi or Petterson getting hit enough times to start damaging thier brain. Kotka is the sweetest lad ans the idea of him in 10 years start to become confused, depressed and angry due to hockey hits makes me sad as hell. I like a good fight or check but at what cost..."
Survey Methodology
This survey was conducted via Google Forms on a rolling basis beginning October 23, 2018. The survey was shared on Twitter and in various hockey communities on Facebook and Reddit. Responses were separated by whether the respondent was a fan, collegiate hockey player, semi-professional hockey player or both collegiate and semi-professional. Between October 23 and December 8, 2018, I gathered 203 responses.
Responses were stored and aggregated in Excel and imported into Tableau for visualization.