Family of Ex-NHLer Bob Murdoch announces CTE diagnosis posthumously
The family of Bob Murdoch, a former NHL defenceman who passed away during the summer of 2023, has announced he was suffering from CTE.
Researchers at Boston University CTE Center were studying Bob Murdoch's brain following his passing at the age of 76 in August of 2023. During their research, they found that Murdoch was suffering from Stage 3 CTE at the time of his passing.
Bob Murdoch's widow, Bev, released a statement through The Concussion Legacy Foundation, saying that the diagnosis was not a surprise and that more needs to be done in professional hockey to prevent CTE.
"If not, there will be more people like Bob who will lose many years of their lives."
She went on to add, "It's not only the athletes who suffer. This disease causes such a significant impact on the family, especially the spouses who become caregivers. For seven years, I watched the love of my life disappear."
For those who are fully aware of what CTE is, it's a progressive and fatal disease associated with repeated traumatic brain injuries and has been found in numerous NHLers that have passed away in recent years, whether it's a result of fighting or hits to the head, for example.
Murdoch spent parts of 12 seasons in the National Hockey League with the Montreal Canadiens, Los Angeles Kings and the Atlanta/Calgary Flames, where he put up 278 points (60 goals, 218 assists) and 764 penalty minutes. As a member of the Montreal Canadiens, Murdoch hoisted the Stanley Cup twice - in 1971 and 1973.
Source - Sportsnet: Bob Murdoch's family says two-time Stanley Cup winner suffered from CTE
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