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.
Those players fought frequently during their hockey careers. Johnson did not.
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and deputy commissioner Bill Daly have both denied a connection between head trauma while playing hockey and CTE, saying “the science is still lacking.”
“This diagnosis took my breath away,” said Kristin Johnson, Greg’s wife of 22 years. “Greg’s death shattered our world, and we never once thought this disease was something he struggled with. He experienced very few symptoms that we knew of, but he spoke of his concussions often. I remember the exact moment he told me his heart condition forcing him to retire was a blessing because he couldn’t take another hit. He knew his hockey career had a profound impact on his brain.”
Johnson is the first publicly known UND player to be diagnosed with CTE.
“I’m so proud to have my dad’s legacy attached to this research and know the kindness and generosity he showed others during his life will continue to make a difference for years to come,” said Piper Johnson, Greg’s youngest daughter. “He truly was the best dad ever, and to lose him to suicide was beyond anything we could imagine. It was awful, but we want to talk about it to help others struggling know they are not alone, and there is help available.”
Johnson played at UND from 1989-93.
He compiled 272 career points, a record that still stands today. He is the only UND player to be named a Hobey Baker Award finalist three times.
Johnson wore the captain’s ‘C’ for UND as a junior and a senior.
“Anybody who was around Greg, he impacted them in a very positive fashion,” former UND coach Gino Gasparini told the Herald after Johnson’s death. “He was a consummate professional. He competed. He did things the right way. He didn’t take short cuts. He was intelligent. He was one of a kind.
“There’s no doubt, he was the definition of what you looked for when you were recruiting. He was a great player. He did it all throughout the game. But more importantly, he was one of those guys who went to class and did what he was supposed to do academically and he always did it the right way.”
Johnson spent 13 years in the NHL, playing for the Detroit Red Wings, Pittsburgh Penguins, Chicago Blackhawks and Nashville Predators. He was the second-ever captain in Nashville.
Johnson also had success at the international level for Team Canada. He won a gold medal at the World Junior Championship in 1991 and a silver medal at the Olympic Games in 1994.
Johnson retired from playing in 2006.
“Guys like him, they don’t come around very often,” Gasparini said. “They just don’t.”
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