The Rouyn-Noranda Huskies will appeal the suspension handed by the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League to Patrice Cormier for his hit to the head of Quebec Remparts defenceman Mikael Tam.
Coach and general manager Andre Tourigny said Tuesday on a conference call that the suspension for the rest of the season and the playoffs was ”excessive.“
”He could serve up to 48 games, that’s too much,” Tourigny added.
The league gave one of the longest suspensions in its history to Cormier on Monday for his hit in a Jan. 17 game that sent Tam into convulsions and left the 18-year-old with brain trauma and several broken teeth.
Cormier, who served as captain of Canada’s team at the world junior championship, had already served two games and is to miss the Huskies’ 18 remaining regular season games, plus the playoffs.
Earlier Tuesday, the Huskies centre had seemed to hint that he had accepted the league’s ruling in statement released through his Halifax-based agent Tim Cranston.
“I fully respect the Quebec Major Junior League’s decision regarding the Mikael Tam incident,” Cormier said. “I deeply regret the circumstances surrounding this event and wish Mikael Tam a speedy and full recovery.”
The 19-year-old New Jersey Devils prospect had a five-day window to appeal the suspension.
Tourigny called Cormier’s hit ”regretable” and that the team accepted that it deserved ”severe”’ punishment, but said the league went too far.
The Huskies were gunnning for a league championship and made a handful of trades in the January dealing window to bolster their roster with experienced talent. Among them was a trade with the Rimouski Oceanic to land Canadian junior team players Cormier and Jordan Caron for two 17-year-olds and a package of draft picks. They also acquired defenceman Steven Delisle and forward Antoine Quevillon from other clubs.
Video of the ugly hit has been replayed several times over the past week. On the play, Cormier came off his team’s bench and caught Tam with an elbow in the neutral zone, sending the Quebec defenceman into convulsions.
Tam spent two days in hospital with head trauma before returning to Quebec City last week.