John Kordic (March 22, 1965 in Edmonton, Alberta - August 8, 1992 in Quebec City, Quebec) was a hockey player in the National Hockey League. He played for the Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs, Washington Capitals, and Quebec Nordiques. He spent 7 seasons in the league and earned a reputation as being an enforcer, amassing nearly 1000 penalty minutes in 244 games. He won a Stanley Cup with Montreal in 1986. He was of Croatian descent.
John's story is a tragic one. He struggled with substance abuse and personal problems. His rap sheet included assault, cocaine abuse, and steriods and by age 27 he died in a motel in Quebec City during a struggle with law enforcement officers. The death was due to cocaine overdose and a collapsed lung. Most accounts of this incident specify that no less than nine officers were required to subdue him.
John's brother Dan Kordic, who was also primarily known as an enforcer, spent the 1990s in the Philadelphia Flyers organization.
