Allan Walsh accuses NHL commish Gary Bettman of 'blood on your hands' after recent discovery made about Greg Johnson's suicide

By Abhishek Dilta

Modified Jul 11, 2024 06:26 GMT

Allan Walsh, the co-managing director of Octagon-Hockey and a prominent NHL agent, has strongly criticized NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, accusing him of having 'blood on your hands' following a recent development concerning Greg Johnson's suicide.

Five years later after the tragic death of NHL veteran Greg Johnson, his widow and daughters have disclosed a posthumous diagnosis of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) for the former Nashville Predators captain.

CTE is a degenerative brain condition associated with repetitive head trauma. The revelation was shared by Johnson's family through the Concussion Legacy Foundation (CLF) on Wednesday, aiming to raise awareness about the enduring impact of concussions and repetitive head injuries in hockey.

"I had no idea what CTE even stood for when my dad took his life,” said Carson Johnson, Greg Johnson’s eldest daughter via CLF. “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."

Allan Walsh took to X/Twitter to share a post featuring a statement (as quoted above) from Greg Johns's eldest daughter regarding CTE. In the post, she emphasized the need for the NHL to implement more stringent precautions.

Walsh did not hold back, directly accusing NHL commissioner Gary Bettman of being complicit in Greg Johnson's death linked to CTE.

"A message directly to Gary Bettman - there is NHL player blood on your hands. #EndCTE," Walsh wrote on X.

The accusation from Walsh sheds light on the ongoing concerns surrounding player safety and the long-term effects of head injuries in professional hockey. According to reports, 17 out of 18 NHL players studied in the U.S. and Canada have received a diagnosis of CTE.

Among those diagnosed are former Team Canada members Ralph Backstrom, Henri Richard, Stan Mikita, Bob Probert, Steve Montador, and Bob Murdoch. The prevalence of CTE has not been limited to professional players, as cases have also been identified in amateur hockey participants.

Gary Bettman on the link between hockey and development of CTE

Allan Walsh is not the first to challenge NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman concerning the issue of CTE in hockey. There have been multiple instances where Bettman's stance on this matter has been scrutinized and questioned.

However, despite the concerns, Bettman has expressed skepticism regarding the link between playing hockey and the development of CTE. In an interview with NPR's A Martinez on the Morning Edition in April, Bettman stated:

"We listen to the medical opinions on CTE, and I don't believe there has been any documented study that suggests that elements of our game result in CTE. There have been isolated cases of players who have played the game [who] have had CTE. But it doesn't mean that it necessarily came from playing in the NHL," Bettman told.

The ongoing dialogue surrounding player safety, head injuries, and the potential risks of CTE in hockey has placed Gary Bettman in the spotlight, prompting continued discussions and debates within the hockey community.