NHLPA forming CTE advisory committee

The NHLPA is forming a chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) advisory committee, executive director Marty Walsh announced Friday, per Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli.

It's the first formal recognition of the disease at hockey's highest level, Seravalli notes.

"The long-term health of NHL players is of paramount importance to our membership," the union said in a statement, per The Associated Press. "To this end, the NHLPA is in the process of forming a player committee that will be focused on learning more about chronic traumatic encephalopathy. The committee will be guided by leading medical experts in this field to help players better understand CTE."

CTE is a neurodegenerative disease caused by repeated head injuries. Multiple ex-NHL and NFL players have been diagnosed posthumously.

Following the death of former NHL enforcer Chris Simon in March, NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said the science linking CTE to headshots is "still lacking."

Walsh succeeded Donald Fehr as NHLPA executive director in 2023.