McCormick Heads To France
December 18, 2019 - 08:50 am
McCormick Heads To France
SPHL’s Leading Scorer Heads Overseas
Peoria, IL- The Peoria Rivermen announced earlier in the week that forward Darren McCormick has elected to sign with Briançon in the top hockey league in France. Rivermen coach Jean-Guy Trudel has placed McCormick on team suspension, meaning the Rivermen will retain his SPHL rights for the remainder of 2019. Should McCormick not return to North America beforehand, he will not be eligible to play in the SPHL again until next season.
“Leaving a team that I was having both team and personal success with was not an easy decision,” said McCormick. “Having to make this choice was frankly the hardest decision I’ve ever had to make.”
The 26-year-old smashed his way through the first quarter of the season (his first with Peoria) after being acquired in an offseason trade from Fayetteville. McCormick tallied 14 goals and 23 points in just 16 games this season. The Buffalo, NY native recorded six game winning goals through the first 10 games of the 2019-20 campaign, and was named SPHL Warrior Player of the Month for his play through October and November.
McCormick’s greatest accomplishment with the team came during a streak in which he scored in 11 straight games, which now stands as the second longest goal streak in league history.
With McCormick taken off the active roster, coach Trudel signed defenseman Johan Hoglund (younger brother of Rivermen forward, Robin Hoglund) to a standard professional contract (SPC) Tuesday morning. The younger Hoglund is a 6’1” defenseman who made his debut with Peoria Tuesday morning in the team’s 2-1 win over Knoxville.
The Rivermen return to action Friday night when they hit the road to duel with the Quad City Storm.
Single, Season, and Group tickets for Peoria's 38th season of professional hockey presented by Midwest Orthopaedic Center are on sale now at the Toyota Box Office in the Peoria Civic Center, or by phone (309) 676-1040 at the Rivermen office, located at 201 S.W. Jefferson Street. For the latest Rivermen news and notes, follow online at www.rivermen.net or through Facebook (www.facebook.com/PeoriaRivermen) - Twitter(https://twitter.com/Peoria_Rivermen)
