2008 Final Grade: C+
2007 Grade: INC
Links:
{{mccormick}} (hockey-reference page)
2008 ITCS (aka highly unofficial) McCormick game log
Season Stats: 40gp 2g 2a 4pt +5
Minutes: 438.9 (13th among F), 10:22 EV, :03 PP, 0:34 PK 10:58 ATOI
1st Half: 19g 2g 1a 3pt +3
2nd Half: 21g 0g 1a 1pt +2
Playoffs: 4gp 0g 1a 1pt -2
Best Month: December (15gp 2g 1a 3pt +4)
Positions: RW (26), LW (14)
Lines: 3rd (21), 4th (19)
Linemates:
LW: McLeod (14), Richardson (5), Smith (3), Hlinka (2), Wolski (1), Cumiskey (1)
C: Guite (21), Hensick (8), Hlinka (5), Arnason (4), Smith (1), Richardson
RW: Laperriere (12), Parker (1), Boychuk (1)
Season: McCormick set a career high in +/- (+5) and ATOI (10:58)
Report: It was a bit of a good-news-bad-news season for the 24-year old McCormick. On one hand, McCormick was recalled on November 20th, handed Eric Godard's lunch to him in a fight in his first game and then earned himself a spot in the lineup for most of the rest of the season with his hard physical play. On the other hand, Cody McLeod was called up a month later, had a fight in his second game, and earned his own spot in the lineup. At the end of the season and at the start of the playoffs, McLeod was playing while McCormick watched from the press box. McCormick is a good fighter who plays with emotion; his fights seem to develop more from a play on the ice rather than the increasingly popular handshake fights on a faceoff. McCormick averaged 2 hits per game, tied with McLeod for the lead among forwards. He spent some time on the PK, but was on the ice for 4 goals in just 22:31 total PK minutes - one of the worst killing rates on the team (only McLeod and Hensick were statistically worse). McCormick doesn't have much in the way of offensive ability, and that hurts his overall grade. Although he played the most with McLeod and Guite, the three never played on one line together and that's a shame; I think Guite / McLeod / McCormick would be a terrific 4th line.
Fast Fact: All five of McCormick's fights this season (McCarty, Godard, Boll, Commodore and the late Luc Bordon) were on the road.
2007-2008 Salary (and Cap Number): $475,000 ($475,000)
2008-2009 Status: RFA
Outlook: If I may go to this well one more time: the good news for McCormick is that the departure of Joel Quenneville should put the two Cody Macs back on equal footing (Quenneville had an obvious crush on McLeod). The bad news is that the departure of Joel Quenneville likely means an end to that down-low cycle game that gave guys like McCormick significant minutes -especially 3rd line minutes. I believe McCormick will still be am important factor, but may have to fight (literally) for ice time under coach Granato.