Former hockey enforcer advocating for mental health and less violence in sports

Allan Globensky was an enforcer with the WHA Quebec Nordiques in the 1970s and played for the OHA-Jr. Montreal Junior Canadiens from 1969-71.

Feared by his opponents, Globensky played hockey in an era when fighting mattered just as much as the players technique and the final score of the game.

“They would say, ‘Oh yeah, you’re going to play don’t worry,’ and I would end up sitting on the bench only getting out to fight.”

Globensky’s fists were invaluable to the team, but full of heavy consequences for everybody involved. For every famous athlete whose death is linked to a sustained traumatic brain injury, the former hockey player explained, there are so many more in the minor leagues we don’t hear about.

“You don’t know what’s going on, you get violent, you lose control, and a lot of times a lot of players that I know, minor leaguers, have committed suicide,” Globensky said.

“I’m very fortunate, I’ve got loving people around me. I’ve had two great family doctors, yes I’m on a lot of medicine but it keeps me on a level playing field,” he added.

Post career, Globensky has long been an outspoken critic of fighting in hockey.

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His book, A Little Knock Won’t Hurt Ya: My Life as a Hockey Enforcer, details the impact fighting has had on his life and health – and caught the attention of Montreal actor and director Luigi Buffone.

“The more he was talking to the interviewer about the book and his life story I immediately became captivated,” Buffone said.

Buffone knew Globensky’s story needed to become a film, “people need to know, they see the enforcer fighting, they see the glory in it, but they don’t see the aftermath. They don’t see when he’s home suffering with physical and mental health,” Buffone added.

An athlete who had to fight not only against his opponents, suffering dozens of concussions and permanent damage to his health, but also dealing with psychological pressure and emotional stress he was subjected to daily “not only the players were depending on him, but the organization was depending on him to fight,” said Buffone.

And now his message is clear and is addressed to the young generations – and their parents. “It’s a game, it’s supposed to be fun,” Globensky said.

Buffone hopes to get the necessary support to produce Mugged on Center Ice as soon as possible and get Globensky’s message out to the world.

(Photo credit: Luigi Buffone/Handout)

“We’re focusing on making awareness for physical and mental health because when we asked Allan if there’s a message he would want from the movie, right away without thinking he said to make awareness to stop fighting in youth hockey,” explained Buffone.