Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, folks. I appreciate your being here, Commissioner Bettman and Deputy Commissioner Daly. Thank you very much. You are our last witnesses.
Mr. Bettman, you probably recall that U.S. senator Richard Blumenthal wrote a letter to you regarding the link between concussions and CTE. He cited the deaths of NHL players Boogaard, Fleming, Probert, Martin and Montador, whose brains all contained strong evidence of CTE.
When you responded, your letter said that the science regarding CTE and the link to the concussions suffered by the players, which Senator Blumenthal referenced—and I'll quote—“remains nascent, particularly with respect to what causes C.T.E. and whether it can be diagnosed by specific clinical symptoms”.
It appears the evidence now is overwhelming in showing a link between concussions in hockey and other sports. What is your belief now and what is the league's position these days on whether there is a link between CTE and concussions?