TORONTO — NHL commissioner Gary Bettman is brushing aside the latest criticism from U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal over the league's stance on concussions.

Blumenthal said earlier this week that the NHL, and Bettman in particular, were on the wrong side of history regarding the connection between concussions and long-term brain damage.

Bettman reiterated in an interview Wednesday that he wasn't "going to have a public debate about this."

He added that he believes "medical and scientific decisions should be made by scientists and physicians."

Bettman wrote a thorough 23-page letter in response to questions from Blumenthal regarding the NHL's stance on concussions and CTE. He suggested that no definitive link had been made between the two.

The Senator said that common sense and mounting scientific evidence show there are warning signs and clear links between brain trauma and concussions and degenerate neurological disease later in life.

He continued to publicly sting Bettman over the issue, suggesting Monday that the NHL's "dismissiveness of the evidence" sent the wrong message to those playing and coaching the sport.