TORONTO — An autopsy of Steve Montador's brain shows the former NHL defenseman had degenerative brain disease.
The 35-year-old Montador, who had multiple concussions during his career with six NHL teams, died in February at home in Mississauga, Ontario.
His brain was donated to the Canadian Sports Concussion Project at Toronto's Krembil Neuroscience Center for analysis. Dr. Charles Tator says the autopsy showed widespread chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, throughout Montador's brain.
Montador had suffered from depression, erratic behavior and memory problems.
The Sports Concussion Project has analyzed the brains of 16 athletes, with roughly half showing signs of CTE or the presence of another neurodegenerative disease.