NHL News and Rumors: Blood Clot in Leg Forces Cody McCormick to Call Career
It's a sad day for Buffalo Sabres fans as general manager Tim Murray announced that forward Cody McCormick will no longer continue his career in the NHL after it was discovered he had blood clot in his left leg, a condition that can be life threatening for any athlete who subjects himself into physical contact and bleeding.
According to Murray, via a season-ending conference last Monday, McCormick decided to retire since prolonging his career might eventually jeopardize his health.
The veteran hasn't seen action on ice since early January of last year. He eventually was taken to the hospital the day after his last game and it was at that point that the clot was revealed. He didn't play a single game this season after the Sabres put him on injured reserve because he didn't pass the pre-training camp physical. The veteran of 11 seasons in the pro hockey league still has a year left in his contract for Buffalo, the team he has played for six seasons.
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This means that the Canadian ice hockey player no longer will be finishing that one year, though he made quite a career in the NHL in primarily a checking role. In 405 games, he managed to score 21 goals, 65 points and 550 total penalty minutes, while carving out a reputation as a forward is known for his versatility and hard-nose play, at least during the earlier years in his career.
He joined the league via the 2001 NHL Entry Draft, when the Colorado Avalanche selected him 144th overall in the fifth round. He played five seasons for the team that drafted him, before jumping ship to Buffalo as an unrestricted free agent back in 2009. He also had a brief stint in Minnesota after the Sabres traded him, but eventually came back as a free agent after just one season.
