Calgary Films star Jonathan Huberdeau has pledged to donate his brain to the Enlist Canada project for brain injury research.
Posted on August 15
Former astronaut Marc Garneau, former hockey player Cali Armstrong and retired Major General Dennis Thompson have joined 170 members of the Canadian Armed Forces and veterans in the commitment, Project Enlist Canada announced in a statement Monday.
“As a National Hockey League player, I am fully aware of the impact of traumatic brain injury, concussion, and the association with other mental health issues,” Huberdeau said in a statement Monday.
I am proud to support Canadian veterans by pledging to donate my brain to Project Enlist and support research to improve the quality of life for all service members who have served our country with courage and bravery.
Jonathan Huberdeau
Huberdeau, 29, was traded to the Flames last month in a deal that sent Matthew Tkachuk to the Florida Panthers.
The Saint-Jérôme hockey player had his season best of 2021-22, setting an NHL record for a left wing with 85 assists. His 115 points helped the Panthers win the President’s Cup for the first time.
Huberdeau earned 613 points (198 goals, 415 assists) in 671 regular season games. He has 21 points (five goals, 16 assists) in 26 playoffs.
Project Enlist Canada’s program studies traumatic brain injury (TBI), chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in military veterans to improve the treatment and diagnosis of these injuries.
Ben Lovejoy was the first active NHL player to pledge a brain donation in 2017. The 38-year-old hasn’t played in the league since 2019.
Among those who donated their brains to the research are Daniel Carsello, Jeff Parker, JT Brown and Craig Adams.
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