Henri ‘Pocket Rocket’ Richard, 11-time winner of Stanley Cup, diagnosed with CTE after death in 2020

By JIMMY GOLEN
AP Sports Writer

Henri Richard’s family says the late Hockey Hall of Famer has been diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy. CTE is a degenerative brain disease linked to concussions. Henri’s son, Denis, says he wants people to understand that the disease doesn’t just affect football players. Richard retired in 1975 after a 20-year career with the Montreal Canadiens in which he won the Stanley Cup 11 times, the most in NHL history. He died in 2020 at the age of 84. CTE can only be diagnosed posthumously. It can cause memory loss, depression and violent mood swings in athletes, combat veterans and others who sustain repeated head trauma.