Since his diagnosis, he has become an advocate of removing hitting from minor hockey, and not introducing it until players are 13 or 14 years old. (Hockey Canada voted in May to ban bodychecking through peewee hockey, when players are 12 years old.) He has also suggested players with a long history of concussion, including Sidney Crosby, should consider retirement.

“It’s great to have all this money, it’s great to have these beautiful surroundings,” he said. “But if you can’t enjoy it, you can’t live your life, what’s the sense?”

He has kept track of the growing library of stories about retired National Football League players coping with health issues they say are related to repeated head trauma tied to their time on the field. Thousands of former football players have engaged in legal action.

“You’ve seen it in football, and you’re going to see it in hockey,” Ludzik said. “You’re going to see guys having trouble with that.”

Continued with news about Ludzik's charitable endeavors...