Sports Injury Hall of Fame: Pat LaFontaine.

At the height of his hockey career, Pat LaFontaine was revered for his dazzling speed and his playmaking genius. He had quickly earned a reputation as one of the most skilled American-born hockey players in NHL history. Beyond his excellence on the ice hides another story – one filled with head injuries, uncertainty, and the cruel ramifications of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain disease that results from repetitive head trauma. His struggles with CTE was a result of many concussions that eventually ended his career far too soon. However, his brutal honesty and advocacy for the truth behind CTE helped to immortalize him as a trailblazer both on and off the ice.

In 2012, LaFontaine gave a speech at BrainLine, a national multimedia project offering authoritative information and support to anyone whose life has been affected by brain injuries or PTSD.  Excerpts from this presentation have been dispersed throughout this piece, and the entire thing can be viewed here. LaFontaine’s bluntness and vulnerability in this instance and throughout his post-hockey career show how much he truly believes in reforming and reorganizing sports to support athletes with CTE and prevent serious concussions from occurring again.

“Everything’s fine, Doc.”

“You know, as athletes you think you’re invincible, and you have this macho image… My first concussion occurred in Madison Square Garden. It was in 1990 in the play-offs, and there was about two minutes to go in the game… I was going to the net, and I was at full speed, and (Chris Nilan) was coming at full speed. [He] was kind of steering me into it and bang! I hit his shoulder, and the force of his shoulder, that hit my head.

I was out instantly, and looking at the tape now, the back of my head — fortunately, I had my helmet on, I hit the ice also. And the only thing I can remember was that the trainer was trying to — coming in and out of consciousness, I guess I was starting to swallow my tongue, and I was going through a little bit of convulsions. It must have seemed like an eternity, but I remember getting wheeled off, and the hostile fans at the Garden were yelling all kinds of things.

That was my first real severe concussion, which was a grade three, and I was sitting in the medical room with the doctors. I was in and out — two or three times, and I remember saying at one point to the doctor, “I’m fine. I’m ready to go. Everything’s fine Doc. Put me out there.’ And he said, ‘game’s been over for five minutes.’ I said ‘oh.’”

-Pat LaFontaine

What is CTE?

Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a brain condition linked to repeated head impacts. Over time, these injuries can lead to a slow decline in brain function. Even after the short-term effects of a concussion or head injury fade, additional symptoms may appear months or years later.

Symptoms of CTE

The signs of CTE usually appear gradually. Early problems may involve memory lapses, difficulty focusing, headaches, dizziness, or a sense of confusion. Some people feel like they are experiencing concussion-like effects without having sustained a recent head injury. Mood and behavior changes, such as irritability, impulsivity, or unpredictable actions, can also be part of the condition.

As the condition progresses, the mental and physical symptoms may resemble those seen in other neurodegenerative disorders like Parkinson’s disease or dementia. These can include slurred or slowed speech, movement difficulties, and worsening cognitive decline. Unfortunately, once CTE develops, symptoms tend to worsen over time.

The Islander Years, 1983-1991

LaFontaine’s professional relationship with concussions began in the late ‘80s while playing for the New York Islanders. During this era, hockey was intensely physical, with much less awareness about significant head trauma than there is today. Hits to the head were often seen as a natural part of the game. They were considered a badge of strength, and quickly returning to play was expected. The culture surrounding CTE and player health was dismissive at best.

LaFontaine, known for his speed and willingness to battle in front of the net, was in a vulnerable position for violent encounters. He was regularly hit extremely hard, often by players much larger than himself. It is now known that small hits add up over time and are a primary factor in developing CTE.

“Something’s not right.”

“It wasn’t until about two years later where I received another one, and it just so happened that was in the same building. And I remember it wasn’t as severe because I wasn’t unconscious, but I remember skating around the rink and looking at my trainer, and everything was in slow motion… My third concussion was against Quebec, where a guy by the name Matt Sundin just happened to catch me blind-sided with his elbow.

I remember sitting on the bench, and I told my trainers ‘something’s not right,’ and he just said just ‘stay here, and you know we’re not gonna play it for this period, but just sit on the bench…And I remember looking, and all of a sudden that period was over, and I was in the locker room.

I remember turning to one of my teammates, and this was further on [during] the period, and then I said, what’s the score? He said it’s two to one. Two to one I said, we scored! We scored, that’s great, who was it, and he said ‘you did. You scored and you got an assist’ and I said ‘oh man, I don’t remember.’”

-Pat LaFontaine

The Sabre Years: 1992-1997

LaFontaine’s peak years with the Buffalo Sabres were also when the major concussion incidents began to pile up. After playing a historic 148-point season in 1992–93, he missed large portions of following seasons due to repeated head injuries.

One notable concussion came in 1996, when he collided with a teammate. The blow caused him to develop memory issues, dizziness, and difficulty concentrating, which are all classic symptoms of post-concussion syndrome.

After various concussions, the team of doctors on the Buffalo Sabres would not clear LaFontaine to continue playing. As such, he was then traded to the New York Rangers in 1997.

The ‘97 Rangers and the Final Curtain

In 1997, after being traded to the New York Rangers, LaFontaine hoped for a fresh start. But games into the 82 game season, he collided with a teammate again, suffering yet another concussion.

LaFontaine kept seeking treatment, and eventually got the answers he needed from a doctor that had his future in mind.

“It’s almost like a numbing effect.”

“Well, fortunately, finally maybe somebody [did] understand, and when I saw the doctors at the Mayo Clinic, they said to me, ‘listen, we saw your head. We understand what’s going on. You’ve suffered a grade three. You’ve had multiple concussions. You hit your forehead on the ice and we feel that you might have vascular damage there.

We consider it a minor brain injury. So, what happens here, your right frontal lobe is responsible for your moods and your personality, and what happens is many cases, it’s almost like a numbing effect. And then you’re pushing through an injury that hasn’t even healed, and sometimes it doesn’t come up right away.

We’ve seen it happen in a lot of car accidents… And this is all very normal for somebody who’s had multiple concussions, and just went through what you went through…’ I broke down. I could not believe that finally, 14 years of playing hockey, and finally somebody understood what I was going through…

…I would become paranoid to the point where I have to pick up the phone at eight o’clock in the morning calling the doctor and say ‘Doc, tell me again now this is physiological because I hit my head.’ But when you’re going through that at the time, you don’t know, you only know what you’re feeling, you only know what’s your experiencing.

You don’t even know, it’s almost like taking that enthusiastic person, [and setting] him off to the side. The person who’s used to being a father of three, he was used to being the captain of the team, he’s used to scoring goals, and used to do all those things – now he can’t do any of those things. Let alone get out and drive a car and leave the house.”

-Pat LaFontaine

Life After Hockey

LaFontaine ultimately chose health over risk and retired in 1998. While it was a heartbreaking decision for a competitor of his caliber, it spared him from potentially worse consequences.

Since then, he has regularly advocated for player health and concussion awareness, highlighting the significant choice athletes make in prioritizing their health over championship rings and statistic boosts. He even helped to introduce a new line of hockey helmets designed to decrease the likelihood of sustaining a concussion.

Additionally, Pat LaFontaine is the founder of The Companions in Courage Foundation, which raises money to help children in long-term hospital care.

Legacy of Resilience

Pat LaFontaine’s career ended far too soon, yet his story became a turning point in how hockey players, fans, referees, and administrators view concussions. Today, with stricter protocols, improved gear, and a much deeper and more nuanced understanding of brain health, players generally receive far better care than they did during LaFontaine’s time.

He’s not just a Hall of Famer for his incredible skill and talent, but because he is a symbol of the human cost of professional sports, as well as his dedication to improving the lives and safety of athletes everywhere.

“Looking back now.”

“Our society waits for something tragic or a crisis to happen before it changes, and unfortunately it doesn’t see the change coming there or the crisis that’s gonna happen. And I just hope that players that come in the game nowadays don’t have to make the decision, because they’ve had so many hits [and] bruises to the brain that they have to retire… I didn’t mind the physical game, but I’ll tell you, looking back now, if those intentional hits were not allowed, and anything above the neck wasn’t allowed, I’d still be playing today. I could probably play three or five more years and have fun.”

–Pat LaFontaine

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