Family Giving NHL Star's Brain to CTE Center

The family of the late NHL great Claude Lemieux is giving his brain to the Boston University CTE Center to research the long-term effects of repetitive brain injuries, per the AP. Lemieux died of suicide at age 60 on Thursday, according to authorities in Florida, after earlier in the week serving as the Montreal Canadiens' torchbearer prior to a playoff game. He played nearly 1,500 NHL games with six teams from 1983-2009 and was known for his hard-hitting style on the way to winning the Stanley Cup four times.

The family said it gave the CTE Center permission to publicly share any findings. "By allowing his name to be connected to this research, we hope his life can contribute to greater understanding, more honest conversations, and better protection for athletes and families in the years ahead," said the statement. While Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy is more commonly associated with football players, the Athletic notes that 19 out of 20 NHL players studied at the university have been diagnosed with the degenerative brain disease. CTE can only be diagnosed posthumously.