Controversial NHL legend Bobby Hull had CTE when he died

Controversial NHL legend Bobby Hull, the Blackhawks’ all-time leading scorer whose on-ice accomplishments were overshadowed by off-ice issues, had stage two chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) at the time of his death in January 2023, the Concussion Legacy Foundation said in a release Wednesday.

The Hall of Fame forward showed symptoms of CTE — including short-term memory loss and impaired judgement — “for the last nearly 10 years of his life,” according to the release.

The family of Hull, who was 84 years old when he died, had donated his brain to the UNITE Brain Bank at the Boston University CTE Center.

“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,” Hull’s wife, Deborah, said in a statement published with the release. “He insisted on donating his brain, feeling as though it was his duty to help advance research on this agonizing disease.”

Hull, inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1983, spent 15 years playing with the Blackhawks while collecting 604 goals and 1,153 points, in addition to his production from other stints with Winnipeg and Hartford in the WHA and NHL.

But after his career, Hull’s reputation was tarnished by controversies.

Hull’s ex-wife, Joanne, accused him of harrowing domestic abuse in an interview with ESPN for a “SportsCentury” documentary in 2002.

In 1986, after a police officer stepped in during a dispute between Hull and Deborah, he pleaded guilty to assaulting the officer — and Deborah also dropped a battery charge against Hull after the incident.

And in 1998, Hull said Adolf Hitler “had some good ideas,” according to the Chicago Tribune — while being quoted by the Moscow Times, though he denied that he made those statements. 

Concussion Legacy Foundation CEO and former pro wrestler Chris Nowinski said in the release that the NHL “still shamelessly refuses to acknowledge this scientific truth” between hockey and CTE.

“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 Boston University CTE Center director Dr. Ann McKee said in a statement.

“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 midlife.”