For some, Atlanta Thrashers prospect Patrice Cormier is a villain. Some have called for a lifetime ban from hockey for Cormier, as a result of his vicious elbow thrown at Quebec' Remparts defenseman Mikael Tam in a Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) game in January. Cormier was playing in just his third game for the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies after being traded from Rimouski when the incident occurred.

However, for the nearly 3,000 residents of his hometown, Cap-Pelé, New Brunswick, a fishing village just east of Moncton, Cormier is a shining light, maybe even a hero as a result of his playing a key role for Team Canada, champions of the 2009 U-20 Hockey World Championships.

Cormier just completed his first appearance at the Thrashers prospect camp in Duluth. The 20-year-old center was acquired from the New Jersey Devils in February in the highly publicized Ilya Kovalchuk trade, and will compete for a roster spot when Thrashers training camp begins in September.

The sturdy 6-2, 205 forward, who projects as a second- or third-line NHL center, possesses a solid frame, good skating ability and vision, and a commanding presence on the ice. In watching him compete during two 4-on-4 scrimmages at the recent camp, he has keen hockey sense, is always well positioned, is a willing forechecker and is no stranger to throwing hard body checks. He also thrives on communicating with other players and doesn’t mind sharing his experiences with younger players.

Cormier, the second son of Victor and Noëlla, grew up in a hockey family. His father played junior hockey in the OHL and coached youth hockey for many years. His older brother Kevin, now 24, will try to earn a roster spot with the New Jersey Devils this fall. He was drafted in the sixth round of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft by the Phoenix Coyotes.

Cormier provided insights about his family, his town and his future in a recent interview with SportsSoutheast.com.

“There was always hockey in the family. After school, we’d run across the field and go to the rink. It might have been a small city but we did have an indoor rink,” Cormier said laughing.

Kevin, known for his toughness, is now 6-3, 240 and was always bigger than Patrice. Unlike some who pick on their younger brothers, Kevin was always Patrice’s protector.

“He took care of me. He was my bodyguard and he still is,” Patrice offered. “We had our fights, but he always won obviously.”

As a young boy, Patrice often accompanied his father, a truck driver who hauled lobsters for a local company, on trips to Prince Edward Island (PEI) via the ferry in those days, and to Maine. He enjoyed those trips and new experiences with his dad.

Before leaving home at 16 during the hockey season to play in the Q, the Cormier boys worked in a smoke house and a crab factory to earn spending money. Cap-Pelé, located on the Northumberland Strait west of PEI, is known for its smoked herring, lobsters and scallops.

Patrice still enjoys going home in the summer months and said he has a special bond with people from the Canadian Maritime provinces. If he makes the Thrashers roster, he will join Halifax, Nova Scotia’s Eric Boulton as the only other player from the Maritimes on Atlanta’s roster.

“All Maritimers are great people and every time I go back home it’s something special. I know everyone there. When I played in the World Juniors, everyone watched. There was so much support for my parents, my brother and me. Even through my suspension, everyone was behind us. When I go home, and go to the grocery, I try to talk with everyone. My brother and I have a lot of support there,” Cormier said. “It’s a fun place to be in the summer.”

“Last year there was a big celebration [after Canada won the World Junior tournament] and it was a very special feeling. When something happens in Cap-Pelé everyone knows about it,” he related. Cormier was a teammate of Thrashers forward Evander Kane and prospect Angelo Esposito in 2009.

And everyone knows that Cormier will make his bid to play in the NHL with the Thrashers at training camp.

“My goal is to make the Thrashers this year, and hopefully I can,” Cormier said. “I am going to be well prepared. I’m going to be in shape and it’s up to me to perform on the ice. As you get older you realize you have to perform every night and be at the top of your game.”

While sitting out his suspension, Cormier realized the empty feeling of not being able to play the game he loves.

“I didn’t know half of the guys here and it’s always good to make a good first impression. Since the suspension, I just enjoy hockey so much more. When I’m on the ice, it’s great. When it’s time to work, I work. When it’s time to have fun…if you don’t have fun doing it, it’s pointless,” Cormier offered. “We have to practice every day, so you might as well go out there and have fun. When everyone is having fun, it’s more calm, not as tense and it makes for a better atmosphere for the team.”

Thrashers general manager Rick Dudley has repeatedly said that Cormier has certain qualities that will help him in his quest to make it to the NHL this year.

“Cormier is the player that everybody wants because he’s a big guy and he’s nasty and he can play. Those things fit in really well,” Dudley said recently. “He was the captain of his World Junior team, he can score and he’s a [pain] to play against.”

Until its recent acquisitions of forwards Dustin Byfuglien, Ben Eager and Andrew Ladd, few Thrashers forwards have caused much of a ruckus for opponents. The addition of Cormier couldn’t hurt in that regard and having Craig Ramsay, one of the best defensive forwards during his time in the NHL as head coach, to instruct Cormier seems like a great fit. As does Ramsay’s plan to be an aggressive team, which is perfectly suited for Cormier.

Since Marty Reasoner was included in the trade with Chicago, there is an opening on the Thrashers roster for a defensively responsible center who can play in shorthanded situations, according to Dudley.

“What we do have is an opportunity. We believe we have a couple of kids who do have a chance to step in and be real contributors, the least of which is Patrice Cormier,” he said.

New Brunswick has sent just 47 of its sons to the NHL, and the significance on being the next one from his province isn’t lost on Cormier.

Before coming to Atlanta for prospect camp, Cormier played in at a charity golf event to raise money for the Luc Bourdon Foundation. Bourdon was the most recent New Brunswick native to make it to the NHL, having played parts of two seasons with the Vancouver Canucks. He was killed in May 2008 at the age 21, when his motorcycle collided with a tractor-trailer near his hometown of Shippagan in northern New Brunswick. Along with Bourdon’s former teammate and current Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang, Cormier helped raised more than $31,000 for the foundation.

“Playing in the NHL would be a big honor for me to represent my little village and New Brunswick. Representing all of those people in the province will be a pretty special honor,” he said.

Editor's note: Defenseman Randy Jones, of Quispamsis, was the only player from New Brunswick to play in the NHL last season. He first appeared in an NHL game March 6, 2004 for the Flyers. He played in 48 regular season and four playoff games for the Kings last season.

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