Rick Martin Diagnosed With CTE

This is a first and a cause of concern...

Former Buffalo Sabres winger Rick Martin has been diagnosed with CTE- the first case of a hockey player that was a skill position player that has been given that condition. The other two brains diagnosed by the Boston University brain bank chasing the cause of CTE, those of Reggie Fleming and Bob Probert, were primarily known as enforcers.

Martin's only known concussion was in 1977 and he is listed as having Stage 2 with Stage 4 being the most serious diagnosis.

The Martin family isn't commenting on the diagnosis, but wanted the results made public for education purposes.

Here's the Sabres Hall of Fame ceremony of Martin, Rene Robert, and Gilbert Perreault from 1996...
((HT: Empire Sports Network/NHL/youtube))


Martin died of a heart attack behind the wheel of his car in suburban Buffalo back in March at the age of 59.