NHL’s Kordic Dies After Police Subdue Him

John Kordic, an NHL player who battled alcohol problems during his career, died late Saturday night after being subdued by at least eight police officers in a Quebec City motel room.

Kordic, a tough-guy veteran of four NHL teams who had a history of alcohol and other problems, confronted police after motel staff were subjected to abusive behavior and a loud disturbance in his room.

Police from the suburban L’Ancienne-Lorette force, accompanied by reinforcements from the Quebec City force, scuffled with an agitated and intoxicated Kordic and finally managed to handcuff him, provincial police spokesman Camille Gagnon said.

“They had all the trouble in the world controlling him,” Gagnon said of Kordic, who played with the Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs, Washington Capitals and Quebec Nordiques.

Given his bizarre behavior, the 27-year-old was put in an ambulance, and his condition 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, but the results of a blood test were not available Sunday. Unused syringes and anabolic steroids were found in Kordic’s room.

Police said Kordic had arrived at the motel earlier in the day with a bloodied face and bruised knuckles and a few hours later began ransacking his room.

Kordic, a 6-foot-2, 210-pounder, was released in January by the Quebec Nordiques, who signed him after his problems with alcohol threatened to end his career. He signed a minor-league contract with Edmonton in March.

Police are continuing their investigation into Kordic’s activities on Saturday.