Gary Bettman's continued denial of the possible fatal effects of CTE officially addressed by the NHLPA

NHL insider Frank Seravalli delivered a big blow to Gary Bettman last night, announcing that the NHL player's union is forming a committee on CTE.

Seravalli was the first to report this news last, reporting a statement from NHLPA director Marty Walsh.

To this point, Gary Bettman and the NHL's official stance on CTE has been insufficient to say the least. Bettman continues to deny that repeated injuries sustained in NHL games contribute to CTE. Despite this consistent denial, the NHLPA has officially taken things into their own hands. Currently, it sounds like the committee's primary goal is educating the players on CTE and determining ways to reduce its occurrence in NHL alumni.

Fan response to the announcement has largely been positive. However, it has also put us in an awkward position as we do not know how Gary Bettman will respond to this. His history of denial has been so entrenched at this point that it may not be possible for him to change his position on it. What could this mean for the commissioner?

Bettman is already feeling pressure due to decreasing ratings this season and another big blow could mean his time as league commissioner will come to an end shortly. It would certainly be a surprise to most fans but would likely be seen as a welcome one since Bettman remains largely unpopular. If anything, NHL fans would come together in celebration if he retired or otherwise left the position. Be sure to look for updates on this CTE committee as their results could put Bettman in serious hot water.

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