QMJHL Suspends Cormier for the Season

Patrice Cormier of the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies will not be allowed back on the ice in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League this season or for the playoffs. The league issued the suspension this morning. This is the penalty for his open-ice elbow to the head of the Quebec Remparts' Mikael Tam on Jan. 17.

Cormier, 19, could come back to the league next season as an overage player. The ban does not extend to next season. Cormier is a prospect of the New Jersey Devils, and there is no word on whether the terms of the suspension would be honored by the Devils or the minor pro teams they have working agreements with Lowell of the American Hockey League and Trenton of the East Coast Hockey League. This is part of the story being discussed on the Puck Daddy blog.

Lou Lamoriello, the Devils general manager, could have the option of sending Cormier to a minor pro team in a league that does not honor the QMJHL's ban.

Early this season, Michael Liambas of the Erie Otters was suspended for the year and the playoffs by the Ontario Hockey League after a hit from behind on Ben Fanelli of the Kitchener Rangers.



The OHL recently issued a 20-game suspension to forward Zach Kassian of the Windsor Spitfires for his head shot on the Barrie Colts' Matt Kennedy. TSN and Sportsnet offer reports on the situation.



Say what you will about the borderline hits and the over-the-line actions of the National Hockey League, but all of the actions detailed in the video clips above are by teenagers, basically. And actions learned or tolerated there will come up again should they graduate to a minor pro league or the NHL.

That is why the debate about how the juniors deal with these issues is important to hockey at all levels.

THE SCOREBOARD
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Pittsburgh 2, at Philadelphia 1
At Carolina 5, Boston 1
At Colorado 4, Dallas 0
The standings are here.
Recap by Sportsnet.
Three stars by Puck Daddy.

AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Manchester 6, Hartford 1
At Chicago 5, Grand Rapids 1
Norfolk 1, at Lowell 0
Milwaukee 4, at San Antonio 3 SO
Syracuse 4, at Toronto 3 SO
At Providence 3, Springfield 0
At Rochester 3, Adirondack 1
The standings are here.
The roundup is here.

EAST COAST HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Kalamazoo 6, Toledo 3
Wheeling 3, at South Carolina 2
Bakersfield 5, at Stockton 2
At Idaho 8, Las Vegas 5
The standings are here.

QUEBEC MAJOR JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Chicoutimi 5, Cape Breton 2
Moncton 5, at Quebec 2
Prince Edward Island 2, at Halifax 1 SO
Saint John 8, at Gatineau 0
Shawinigan 5, at Rimouski 0
The standings are here.
The roundup is here.

ONTARIO HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Guelph 5, Erie 3
At London 8, Peterborough 2
At Mississauga 5, Sudbury 3
At Ottawa 3, Kingston 0
At Windsor 5, Niagara 2
At Oshawa 3, Saginaw 0
The standings are here.
The roundup is here.

WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Calgary 6, Lethbridge 2
Medicine Hat 2, at Edmonton 1
At Portland 3, Vancouver 1
At Everett 3, Spokane 2
Kootenay at Regina PPD
The standings are here.
The roundup is here.