'No game is worth dying over'

Movie director Kevin Smith loves hockey, but says he hates how violent the game has become in recent years.

The life-long hockey fan spoke out during a recent interview with the Toronto Star in relation to his Feb. 2 Toronto show, Kevin Smith: Live from Behind.

“I like fighting as much as the next guy, but Jesus Christ, how many people have to die? Look, man, when one of the greatest hockey players living isn’t playing because he’s concussed, then something’s seriously f--ked.”

“I mean, like, Sidney’s off the ice, man,” he told the paper, pointing out that Sidney Crosby hasn’t played since December. “I love hockey as much as anybody. But no game is worth dying over.”

Coincidentally, Smith’s next—and according to him—final film project will be on the fictional life story of a legendary Canadian hockey enforcer titled, Hit Somebody, after the Warren Zevon song.

In the film—set during the 1970s—Smith will play the lead character himself. He said he chose that era for a specific reason.

“It’s set during the period from 1972-80, when things weren’t as f---ing stupid as they are today,” he explained. “Sure there was violence then, but there wasn’t this crazy passion for it people have now.

“You got all these people running around nowadays with a hard-on, waiting for the next dude to total himself. Look, we all like to see the fights. It’s one of the things that makes hockey fun, but enough is enough.”

And if nothing more is done?

“Did you ever read The Devil and Bobby Hull? They talk about the correlation between constant concussions and brain damage and it's hard to deny it. Once you get science on your side saying steady concussive behaviour is degenerative to a brain, then maybe, finally, something has to be done,” said Smith.