Patrice Cormier on Indefinite Suspension After Violent Elbow Attack on Ice | IXGAMES

Patrice Cormier has been suspended indefinitely after he elbowed an opponent on the ice. Cormier is a forward for the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies in Quebec. He has played for the New Jersey Devils before playing for the Huskies, and served as captain for team Canada at the World Junior Hockey Championships. He is also known for dirty moves like this in the past. Cormier reportedly elbowed Mikael Tam of the Quebec Remparts, a move that caused  Tam “to stop breathing” for about 30 seconds. This also led to unexpected convulsions that stopped the game and sent fans and players scurrying to see what happened. Cormier was immediately ordered off the ice after this incident. The incident has resulted in calls for severe punishment for head hunters on the ice and for Cormier to be banned from playing for life.  This has also opened debates on violence on the ice and violence in hockey as a whole. Cormier apparently landed the elbow just as Tam delivered the puck on the Huskies side, launching himself against the Remparts defenseman for the hit.  Tam collapsed and started to convulse on the ice. He was later taken out on a stretcher to a local hospital and was reported to be in stable condition. He was reportedly able to talk to doctors and family members a few hours after the incident. Tam was reported to have suffered only a broken jaw and a concussion.  A few hours later, the Quebec Major Junior League announced that they have suspended Cormier. The suspension expected to last until the disciplinary process has been completed. Other hits in the past This is not Cormier’s first dirty hit.  He was also involved in two other hits during the pre-competition games, first elbowing Anton Rodin of Sweden and then Teemu Hartikainen of Finland. The hit against Tam is most likely the last elbow the hot-headed forward has thrown if the QMJL decides to ban Cormier from playing. The Quebec Remparts is also planning on pressing charges that could lead to Cormier’s removal from the game. Coaches and players were immediately interviewed following the incident as part of the investigative process. A suspension for the remainder of the season, as what was done to Michael Liambas back in October, is a possibility. Patrice as captain of the Canadian team Patrice is the younger brother of Devils’ Kevin Cormier. He represented Canada in the 2009 IHF World Junior Ice Hockey Championship, which led to a gold medal for Canada. He scored a goal and two assists in six games.  He served as the captain of the Canadian team in the 2010 Saskatchewan event, scoring two goals and three assists. He was also part of the 2009 Memorial Cup All Star Team.