Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut expressed his disappointment in NHL commissioner Gary Bettman's response to a letter he sent seeking answers on the effects of concussions in hockey. In his written response to Senator Blumenthal, Bettman continued to deny a link between concussions and chronic traumatic encephalopathy, better known as CTE.
Blumenthal's initial letter was sent to the league in late June. In it, he sought answers to multiple direct questions regarding CTE, concussions, fighting, player safety and other related topics. The senator considered Bettman's previous public statements on the matter as "dismissive."
"As the premier professional hockey league in the world, the NHL has an obligation not only to ensure the safety of your players, but to also engage in a productive dialogue about the safety of your sport at all levels--from youth to professional," Blumenthal wrote in his initial letter to Bettman (via SI.