GRAND FORKS — Greg Johnson, UND’s all-time leading hockey scorer, has been posthumously diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain disease affecting people with repeated concussions and head trauma. Greg Johnson skates the puck up the ice for the University of North Dakota. (Courtesy of UND athletics) The Concussion Legacy Foundation and Johnson’s family announced the results in a joint press release Wednesday.
Johnson died by suicide five years ago this week at age 48. Dr. Ann McKee, the director of the Boston University CTE Center, made the diagnosis.
“I had no idea what CTE even stood for when my dad took his life,” said Carson Johnson, Greg’s oldest daughter. “Now understanding that the hits he endured throughout his hockey career damaged his brain, I want all athletes to understand the risks and I want the NHL to start acknowledging it exists and do more to protect its players so other daughters don’t have to lose their fathers.” Several prominent hockey players who have died at young ages have been posthumously diagnosed with CTE.
Todd Ewan (age 49), Wade Belak (35) and former Minnesota Duluth captain Andrew Carroll (32) all died by suicide and were later diagnosed. Chris Simon died of suicide at age 52 in March. His family said in a statement they believe he had CTE, which can only be diagnosed posthumously.
Other former NHL players who were diagnosed with CTE include Derek Boogaard, Steve Montador and Bob Probert. Tho.
