Late NHL icon Bobby Hull diagnosed with CTE

Feb. 19 (UPI) -- NHL icon Bobby Hull, who spent 15 years with the Chicago Blackhawks and struggled with symptoms of chronic traumatic encephalopathy before his death, was officially diagnosed with the disease, his family said Wednesday.

Hull died in 2023 at age 84. His cause of death was not provided at the time. His family donated his brain to the UNITE Brain Bank at the Boston University CTE Center. Researchers diagnosed Hull with stage 2 of CTE, which has four stages.

His widow, Deborah Hull, released results of her late husband's post-mortem brain tissue analysis Wednesday through the Concussion Legacy Foundation.

"Seeing the pain and heartache suffered by his lifetime friend Stan Mikita's family, Bobby felt strongly no other family should have to endure CTE," Deborah Hull, who was married to Bobby Hull for 39 years, said in a news release.

"He insisted on donating his brain, feeling as though it was his duty to help advance research on this agonizing disease."

Deborah Hull said her late husband experienced short-term memory loss and impaired judgement -- symptoms of the progressive degenerative brain disease -- for the last 10 years of his life.

"We are grateful to Bobby Hull and all of the NHL players and families who are helping us learn how to prevent, diagnose, and treat CTE," said Dr. Ann McKee, chief of neuropathology for the VA Boston Healthcare System and director of the Boston University CTE Center and UNITE Brain Bank.

"We encourage retired players and their families to reach out for help and care if they are concerned about CTE, as we are learning how to effectively treat symptoms, especially in mid-life."

Bobby Hull, a Point Ann, Ontario native, made his NHL debut in 1957. He played 1,182 games -- including the regular season and playoffs -- through the 1979-80 season. Hull won a Stanley Cup with the Blackhawks in 1961. A year later, he became the first player in NHL history to score 50 goals in a season.

The two-time MVP and seven-time scoring champion was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1983. A 12-time All-Star, he ranks 18th in NHL history with 610 goals. His 0.57 goals per game are 10th-most in league history.

In December, the Boston University CTE Center published a study that showed 18 of 19 deceased NHL players examined had CTE. That group included Bobby Hull, Ralph Backstrom, Stan Mikita, Bob Probert and Derek Boogaard. The study also found that CTE development odds increased by 34% for each year of play.