John Kordic, an NHL enforcer who battled alcohol problems during his career, died Saturday night after being subdued by at least eight police officers in a Quebec City motel room.
Police scuffled with an agitated and intoxicated Kordic after a loud disturbance in his room and finally managed to handcuff him.The 27-year-old was put in an ambulance and quickly deteriorated en route to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. An autopsy Sunday determined that Kordic died of lung failure related to malfunctioning of the heart.
There were needle marks on his arm and unused syringes and anabolic steroids were found in his room.
Kordic, 6-foot-2, 210-pounds, was released in January by Quebec, who signed him after a battle with alcohol threatened his career. He signed a minor-league contract with Edmonton in March.
Kordic began his career with Montreal in 1985 and was a member of their last Stanley Cup team in 1986. He was traded to Toronto in 1988 and then to Washington, where he was involved in a series of alcohol-related incidents and was suspended twice.