Two brutal attacks from one youth hockey player lead to calls for reform.

Shock and horror is quickly spreading around the topic of youth hockey in the province of Quebec after a pair of brutal attacks perpetrated by a single youth hockey player have led to some serious questions regarding the safety and well being of young hockey players playing in that province.

A French-language report from Martin LeClerc of Radio Canada has outlined a pair of truly disturbing incidents that have occurred over the last several months, and more importantly the equally disturbing response to those incidents. Full disclosure, the identity of the perpetrator of these incidents has not been disclosed due to the fact that he is a minor.

The story begins all the way back in mid-November and it is here that Eric Pressault, an assistant coach for an under 18 team based out of Deux-Montagnes, Quebec, describes a violent assault in which one of his players was the victim. According to Pressault, who admits he was at the far end of the ice and didn't have the clearest view, a player for the opposing team from Saint-Jerome, Quebec delivered two blows to the head of one of his players while he was down on the ice. The shocking part of the incident was that the two blows had been delivered with the player's skate.

When Pressault's own player returned to the bench he showed his coach his helmet which had been broken by the force of the blows, leaving the entire coaching staff in shock.

"I still get chills when I think about it," admits Pressault as per Radio Canada. "If the player for Saint-Jerome had missed his head only a little, he could have struck our player in the neck and killed him."

Much to the team's horror they noticed that the offending player would only receive a 5 game suspension for the offense, an offense that Pressault feels should have received the ultimate punishment.

"As far as I am concerned, this type of gesture should lead to an immediate lifetime ban of this player from all activities related to the sport of hockey," wrote Pressault in an appeal to Hockey Quebec.

Pressault's appeal was no formality either, he and the rest of the coaching staff had to pay $200 out of pocket for the review but, despite their appeal, no such ban would be enforced against the player who would walk away with a mere 8 game suspension in the end.

To make matters worse the very same player had abused a linesman following the controversial incident, shoving the linesman as he was being escorted off the ice, but despite these obvious red flags no more preventative measures were taken. Unfortunately this inaction from those in charge has now led to an even more serious incident, one which could have extremely serious and long-term ramifications.

Months after the incident I've just described to you, the very same offending player would deliver a horrific blow to an opposing player from Blainville, Quebec after a game on the 13th of February. That blow was delivered to the victim's unprotected head as, according to eyewitnesses, the player from Saint-Jerome would swing his stick full force into the head of his opponent after he had removed his helmet, causing him to immediately collapse on the ground in a pool of blood.

Pressault, who has been coaching for several years now, describes his horror upon learning that his warnings being ignored had led to another young player being seriously injured.

"Now, with the violent blow to the head from that same player in February, we have seen two potentially fatal gestures committed during the course of a single season. These are the most violent acts that I have seen since I have been involved in hockey. I'm not trying to pour gasoline on to the fire or to add controversy, but I will never understand why our warning wasn't taken more seriously," said Pressault.

Obviously these actions go far beyond the sport of hockey and law enforcement is involved, but Pressault and many others are demanding answers from both Hockey Quebec and the team in Saint-Jerome, feeling both should be held accountable for allowing the second incident to occur after so many red flags and warning signs.