Patrice Cormier Explained

Team:Eisbären Berlin
League:DEL
Former Teams:Atlanta Thrashers
Winnipeg Jets
Barys Astana
Ak Bars Kazan
Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg
Position:Centre
Shoots:Left
Height Ft:6
Height In:2
Weight Lb:215
Birth Date:14 June 1990
Birth Place:Cap-Pelé, New Brunswick, Canada
Career Start:2010
Draft:54th overall
Draft Year:2008
Draft Team:New Jersey Devils

Patrice Victor Cormier (born June 14, 1990) is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward. He is currently under contract with Eisbären Berlin of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL). Cormier was drafted in the second round, 54th overall, by the New Jersey Devils at the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.

Cormier was the captain for Team Canada at the 2010 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. On January 25, 2010, Cormier was suspended for the remainder of the 2009–10 QMJHL regular season and playoffs for an elbow he delivered to Mikael Tam of the Quebec Remparts. Shortly after, his NHL rights were traded to the Atlanta Thrashers.

Playing career

Junior

Rimouski Océanic

Cormier started his Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) career with the Rimouski Océanic. During his rookie season he scored 11 goals and added 10 assists 53 games. He also represented New Brunswick in the ice hockey tournament at the 2007 Canada Games, where Cormier scored seven goals and thirteen assists in six games played as his team finished in seventh place.[1] Cormier followed that up in the 2007–08 season, in which he posted 18 goals and 23 assists with 84 PIMs in 51 games. However, during the 2007–08 season, Cormier was riddled with injuries, including a burst appendix, concussion, and a pair of shoulder problems, all of which hampered his play and his draft position.[2] The New Jersey Devils drafted him with the 54th overall pick.

Cormier experienced a breakout performance during the 2008–09 QMJHL season, in which he posted career highs of 23 goals, 28 assists, 51 points, and 118 PIMs. His great performance continued with the QMJHL playoffs in which he led Rimouski to the playoff semifinals with four goals and six assists in 13 games, along with 30 PIMs, and the squad qualified for the 2009 Memorial Cup. While competing with the Océanic, Patrice followed the QMJHL playoffs with strong Memorial Cup play and was named to the tournament All-Star team.[3]

Rouyn-Noranda Huskies

Cormier was traded from Rimouski to the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies.[4] Shortly after he was traded, Cormier was involved in an incident where he severely injured an opponent, Mikael Tam of the Quebec Remparts, with an elbow that sent the latter player to hospital. The Remparts filed a police complaint over the hit.[5] Cormier faced criminal charges over the hit against Tam.[6]

On January 18, 2010, Cormier was suspended indefinitely by the QMJHL pending a full review of the incident.[7] On January 25, 2010, Cormier was suspended by the QMJHL for the rest of the 2010 season.[8] He finished his Rouyn-Noranda Huskies career with five assists in three games, before the season-ending (and QMJHL career-ending) suspension.

Professional

On February 4, 2010, Cormier was traded to the Atlanta Thrashers along with Johnny Oduya, Niclas Bergfors and a first round draft pick in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft for Ilya Kovalchuk.[9] After Rouyn-Noranda was eliminated from the QMJHL playoffs, Cormier was named to the playoff roster for the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League (AHL).[10] His first NHL goal was scored on January 7, 2011 against James Reimer of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Once the Thrashers relocated to Winnipeg, Cormier was assigned to the St. John's Ice Caps of the AHL. The Winnipeg Jets recalled Cormier several times from the Ice Caps, the last time being on November 4, 2015.[11]

Cormier began the 2015–16 season with the Manitoba Moose and was named an alternate captain.[12]

Out of contract with the Winnipeg Jets in the off-season, Cormier opted to remain with their affiliate, the Manitoba Moose, signing a one-year AHL deal on August 30, 2016,[13] and was later named team captain on October 14, 2016, shortly before the 2016–17 season began.[14] On July 5, 2017, he continued his tenure with the Moose and agreed to a one-year extension on July 5, 2017.[15]

After three seasons with the Moose, Cormier opted to leave North America and agreed to a one-year contract with Kazakhstani club, Barys Astana of the KHL on July 2, 2018.[16] Cormier was instantly a success with Barys, scoring 18 goals and 40 points in 56 games in the 2018–19 season. He registered a further 4 points in 11 post-season games, helping Barys advance to the second round.

As a free agent from Barys, Cormier continued in the KHL, securing a lucrative one-year contract with Russian club, Ak Bars Kazan, on May 4, 2019.[17]

Following two seasons with Ak Bars, Cormier left the club as a free agent and continued his tenure in the KHL by agreeing to a two-year contract with Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg on May 3, 2021.[18]

After five seasons in the KHL, Cormier left Russia as a free agent and was signed to a one-year contract with German club, Eisbären Berlin of the DEL, on May 15, 2023.[19]

International play

Cormier represented Canada in the IIHF World Junior Ice Hockey Championship in 2009 on their way to a gold medal and scored a goal and had two assists in six games.[20] At the 2010 event, he served as the captain of Canada, and added two goals and three assists in six games as Canada took home silver.[21]

Family

Cormier married Tanya in 2016 and had his first child in August 2018. His older brother Kevin was selected by the Phoenix Coyotes in the sixth round of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft.[22]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

  Regular season Playoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGPGAPtsPIMGPGAPtsPIM
2004–05Moncton Gagnon BeaversMJAHL31481235
2005–06Moncton Gagnon BeaversMJAHL4321274841
2006–07Rimouski OcéanicQMJHL5311102173
2007–08Rimouski OcéanicQMJHL5118234184945910
2008–09Rimouski OcéanicQMJHL5423285111813461030
2009–10Rimouski OcéanicQMJHL2811152657
2009–10Rouyn-Noranda HuskiesQMJHL30557
2009–10Chicago WolvesAHL90008
2010–11Chicago WolvesAHL1123514
2010–11Atlanta ThrashersNHL211124
2011–12St. John's IceCapsAHL56181533751530312
2011–12Winnipeg JetsNHL90000
2012–13St. John's IceCapsAHL35741169
2012–13Winnipeg JetsNHL100007
2013–14St. John's IceCapsAHL6191726982125722
2013–14Winnipeg JetsNHL90337
2014–15St. John's IceCapsAHL471292174
2014–15Winnipeg JetsNHL10000
2015–16Manitoba MooseAHL6515173273
2015–16Winnipeg JetsNHL20000
2016–17Manitoba MooseAHL69131629101
2017–18Manitoba MooseAHL69222143126911238
2018–19Barys AstanaKHL561822401011113435
2019–20Ak Bars KazanKHL561113244440000
2020–21Ak Bars KazanKHL46614201091523510
2021–22Avtomobilist YekaterinburgKHL42861463
2022–23Avtomobilist YekaterinburgKHL557121954702212
2023–24Eisbären BerlinDEL3712921721201114
NHL totals5214518
KHL totals255506711737137381157

International

YearTeamEventResult GPGAPtsPIM
2009CanadaWJC6 12 3 6
2010CanadaWJC6 2 3 54
Junior totals123 5 8 10

Awards and honours

AwardYear
CHL
CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game2007–08 [23]
Memorial Cup All-Star Team2009[24]
DEL
Champions (Eisbären Berlin)2024[25]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Canada Winter Games 2007 – Hockey Male. 2007 Canada Games. January 13, 2011. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110721031721/http://cwg2007.kimik-it.gl/Result/Event_PO_T_T.aspx?Event_GUID=b532134d-18c5-4995-b1af-09b6ab7d4a23&SetLanguage=en-CA&SetLanguage=en-CA&SetLanguage=en-CA. July 21, 2011. mdy-all.
  2. Web site: Prospect Patrice Cormier Profile. hockeysfuture.com. October 31, 2009 . January 18, 2010.
  3. Web site: Individual Awards Presented at MasterCard Memorial Cup. mastercardmemorialcup.com. May 24, 2009. January 18, 2010. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20101126172707/http://mastercardmemorialcup.com/2009/news.php?id=1157&y=2009. November 26, 2010. mdy-all.
  4. Web site: Huskies de Rouyn-Noranda Joueurs: Patrice Cormier . January 18, 2010 . January 18, 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160130012850/http://www.huskies.qc.ca/joueur.asp?Fiche=405 . January 30, 2016 .
  5. Web site: Cormier ejected from QMJHL game after head shot on opponent . The Sports Network . January 18, 2010 . January 18, 2010.
  6. http://www.radio-canada.ca/nouvelles/societe/2010/05/10/002-Cormier-accusations-huskies.shtml Patrice Cormier accusé de voies de fait | Grands Titres | Radio-Canada.ca
  7. Web site: QMJHL suspends Cormier indefinitely for elbow to the head. TSN. January 18, 2010 . January 18, 2010.
  8. Web site: Cormier suspended for balance of QMJHL season and playoffs. TSN. January 25, 2010. May 12, 2010.
  9. News: Thrashers ship Kovalchuk to Devils for players, 1st rounder. February 4, 2010. The Sports Network. February 5, 2010.
  10. Web site: Wolves Bolster Roster With Five Additions Heading into Playoffs. Chicago Wolves. April 12, 2010. April 12, 2010. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20100416172451/http://www.chicagowolves.com/releases/1932-wolves-bolster-roster-with-five-additions-heading-into-playoffs. April 16, 2010. mdy-all.
  11. Web site: Cormier called up by Jets.
  12. News: Moose name Albert captain, give Cormier and MacWilliam an 'A'. October 8, 2015. Winnipeg Free Press.
  13. Web site: Moose sign Cormier, Czuczman . . 2016-08-30 . 2016-08-30.
  14. Web site: Patrice Cormier named Moose captain . . 2016-10-14 . 2016-12-03.
  15. Web site: Moose announce seven signings . . 2017-07-05 . 2017-07-05.
  16. Web site: Patrice Cormier joins Barys Astana . . Russian . 2018-07-02 . 2018-07-02.
  17. Web site: Patrice Cormier transfers to Ak Bars . . May 4, 2019 . May 4, 2019.
  18. Web site: Patrice Cormier is a newcommer to HC Avtomobilist . . 3 May 2021 . 3 May 2021 . Russian.
  19. Web site: Patrice Cormier joins the Polar Bears . . May 15, 2023 . May 15, 2023 . German .
  20. News: WJC Championship Canada PLAYER STATISTICS BY TEAM 2008–2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20210508203131/http://reports.iihf.hockey/Hydra/172/IHM1720CAN_83_6_0.pdf. live. May 8, 2021. IIHF. January 18, 2010.
  21. News: WJC Championship Canada PLAYER STATISTICS BY TEAM 2009–2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20210506051752/http://reports.iihf.hockey/Hydra/205/IHM2050CAN_83_6_0.pdf. live. May 6, 2021. IIHF. January 18, 2010.
  22. Web site: Kevin Cormier . EliteProspects.com. July 3, 2023.
  23. Web site: NHL 2008 Entry Draft Featured Player: Patrice Cromier. https://web.archive.org/web/20080627212732/http://www.nhlentrydraft2008.com/featuredPlayersDetails.aspx?type=nas&playerID=1061. dead. June 27, 2008. 2008nhlentrydraft.com. January 18, 2010. January 18, 2010.
  24. http://www.mastercardmemorialcup.ca/historyallstar Memorial Cup All-Star Teams
  25. Web site: The Eisbären Berlin are German champions 2024! . . 26 April 2024 . 26 April 2024 . German .