Family of Steve Montador files lawsuit against NHL

The family of former NHL player Steve Montador has filed a lawsuit in U.S. federal court in Chicago against the NHL, nearly 10 months after his death and seven months since researchers discovered chronic traumatic encephalopathy (C.T.E.) in his brain.

According to Rick Westhead of TSN, the suit charges the NHL failed to provide Montador with the latest medical information on the effects of long-term brain injuries.

"The NHL continues to ignore the lasting problems caused by multiple head traumas suffered by its players," Montador’s father, Paul, said in a statement. "Tragedies like that of my son Steven will continue until the problem is addressed. The NHL knows, but denies, that years of repeated head injuries cause long-term brain problems.”

The suit alleges that Montador was involved in 69 fights during his 571-game NHL career and that the defenseman suffered 15 documented concussions, including four that came in a three-month span in 2012 while he was a member of the Chicago Blackhawks.

"During regular season NHL games, preseason NHL games, NHL practices and morning skates prior to NHL games, Steven Montador sustained thousands of sub-concussive brain traumas and multiple concussions, many of which were undiagnosed and/or undocumented,” said the statement of claim. “The league induced him into continuing to play, and fight, in NHL games and practices.”

"By promoting and, in fact, glorifying fighting, the NHL continues to perpetuate its message to players, coaches and fans that blows to the head should not be considered serious injuries," the lawsuit says. "The NHL knew that by eliminating staged fights from their game they would decrease drug addiction and depression in the men it enlisted in the barbaric role.”

The Montador family lawsuit is another one for the league to deal with. Currently, there are 68 former player part of the NHL Concussion case.

You can read the entire Montador suit here.

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