There has been a lot of discussion in recent days about Patrice Cormier's vicious elbow to the head of Mikael Tam and what sort of punishment he should receive. Some circles have called for a simple suspension for the remainder of the season, while others have called for a ban from hockey for life. Others, such as New Jersey Devils general manager Lou Lamoriello, the man who drafted Patrice Cormier 54th overall in 2008, questioned the suspension and stated that they feel no long-term suspension is necessary.
(View the brutal hit yourself on You Tube.)
The suspension should fall somewhere in the middle. He should not be banned for life from hockey, but serving a suspension for the remainder of this season won't do any justice. Cormier should be suspended from all hockey leagues for the remainder of this season and next. Hopefully, that lengthy absence will be enough to teach him that his actions do have repercussions, and possibly even revive him with a new found respect for the game and his fellow players. Cormier should be given a second chance, since this is his first large scale incident. Just look at Steve Downie as he had some aggression issues while playing for the Philadelphia Flyers and their farm team. But he has turned things around as a member of the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Fighting should not be taken out of the game, but the league office needs to take a harsher approach to the cheap hits. There is a large difference between two individuals who, for the most part, are agreeing to fight, and one individual taking another’s life into his hands. At least fights are done with a code of conduct of sorts, and officials will step in where necessary.
Cormier's elbow is just the latest event in a recent string of cheap shots that have seemingly ravaged both the NHL and the junior hockey leagues this year. What might be even worse then the hits themselves, however, is the fact that a player in a junior league like the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) or the QMJHL can get out of a suspension.
Earlier in the season in the OHL, Erie Otters forward Michael Liambas hit Kitchener's Ben Fanelli into the boards from behind. For that hit, Liambas was suspended for the remainder of the season and the playoffs. Fanelli ended up with skull and facial fractures. The twist to this incident is that a few days ago, Liambas signed on to play for the Bloomington Prairie Thunder of the International Hockey League (IHL). This means that after being suspended for injuring one player, he is able to move on to another league and forego his suspension. That way he can continue playing hockey and possibly injure someone else, without having to feel any sort of punishment, other than being barred from one league.
In another situation in the OHL, Windsor Spitfire's Zach Kassian was hit with a twenty game suspension for his open ice hit on Barrie's Matt Kennedy. The hit left Kennedy concussed and split open on the ice. There has been no word on whether or not Kassian will try and sign elsewhere, since the suspension is twenty games. He could be back for any potential playoff games.
Cormier should be suspended from all leagues for this year and next, with hopes that he realizes the error of his ways. Many people have compared his style of play to the aforementioned Downie. Cormier is an aggressive, gritty player that is a great asset to his team. He can also score, but there's a fine line between aggressive and cheap.
Cormier's lunging elbow left Tam convulsing on the ice and diagnosed with brain trauma that was worse than both of the aforementioned hits. For that reason, Cormier should receive more than a season suspension, plain and simple. It also does not help his case that just a few weeks ago at the World Junior Championships he hit a Swedish player, with an elbow that drew blood.
The QMJHL should take this chance to make Cormier an example. The league should meet with the rest of the junior leagues and come to a decisive conclusion to make players aware that hits like Cormier’s will not be tolerated. Otherwise, Cormier is going to sneak around the suspension, and find a way to get to the NHL. His style of play could end up getting himself injured. What makes that fact more interesting is how Lamoriello feels nothing should be done. It gives the feeling that if he's suspended, Lamoriello might try to find a way to get Cormier into the AHL, and then fast tracked to the NHL.
Monday is when the hockey world will learn the punishment that Cormier faces for his recent elbow hit. Hopefully he gets what he deserves, if not for the hit itself, than for the potentially life altering injuries that Tam sustained. There is no room for deliberately cheap shots in hockey.
- Mark McLean - RotoKingdom Staff Writer