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Michael Liambas (born February 16, 1989) is a Canadian professional ice hockey left winger who currently plays for the Cincinnati Cyclones of the ECHL.

Playing career

Liambas began his junior hockey career in the Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League (OPJHL) with the St. Michael's Buzzers. He joined the major junior ranks in 2006–07 with the Erie Otters of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). Liambas underwent hip surgery in December 2008 and was subsequently sidelined for much of the 2008–09 season. He appeared in just five games during his third OHL season before the injury, not returning to the Otters lineup until the playoffs. Following the Otters' elimination, he was signed to a professional contract with the Bloomington PrairieThunder of the CHL on March 31, 2009. Liambas played the final eight games of the 2008–09 season for the PrairieThunder, scoring one goal, but returned to the OHL for a fourth season with the Otters as an overager in 2009–10.

During a game against the Kitchener Rangers on October 31, 2009, Liambas delivered a highly controversial and devastating check to opposing sixteen-year-old defenceman Ben Fanelli. As Liambas checked Fanelli into the boards behind the Rangers net, Fanelli's head hit a metal partition in the glass, breaking and knocking off his helmet. Fanelli lay unconscious while twitching and foaming at the mouth before being rushed to hospital in critical condition with skull and orbital bone fractures. Liambas was reportedly in tears while seeing Fanelli on the ice and attempted to visit him in the hospital, but was not allowed in. Fanelli was released from Hamilton General Hospital a week later on November 6.

Four days after the hit, on November 4, Liambas was suspended by OHL commissioner David Branch for the remainder of the regular season and playoffs, effectively ending Liambas' junior career. Branch cited the speed and distance to which Liambas skated to deliver the check, as well as the severity of Fanelli's injuries. He commented that the suspension was responding to a "need to take strong steps to ... send out the message to all our players and minor hockey players that we have to be ... more respectful of our opponent."

Otters general manager Sherwood Bassin was quick to come to Liambas' defense following the suspension, stating surprise with the severity of the penalty from Branch. Bassin asserted that Liambas was not simply a "goofball kid", citing his 95 percent average in high school, as well as volunteer work in initiating a stay-in-school program for kids and at the Shriners Hospital for Children in Erie. Liambas expressed regret during the hearing for his hit and commented that he did not know if he could deliver bodychecks anymore as a hockey player.

Having been suspended in his final year of junior eligibility, Liambas re-signed with the Bloomington Prairie Thunder of the CHL on December 3, 2009. The following year, Liambas was invited by the Toronto Maple Leafs to their rookie camp. Liambas then attended the Maple Leafs' training camp on an amateur try-out contract. He was released from camp on September 23, 2010.

In October 2010, Liambas joined the hockey team at the University of British Columbia, where he studied Human Kinetics. Following a suspension in late February 2011 for instigating and fighting in an altercation with Alberta Golden Bears forward Eric Hunter, Liambas signed with the ECHL's Cincinnati Cyclones, with whom he finished the season and skated in the Kelly Cup playoffs. Liambas re-signed with the Cyclones for the 2011–12 ECHL season on July 14, 2011.

Career statistics

References

1. ^ Press release (2009-03-31). "PrairieThunder inks Liambas". oursportscentral.com. Retrieved 2009-12-02.
2. ^ The Canadian Press (2009-11-01). "Junior hockey player in intensive care". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 2009-12-03.
3. ^ Wharnsby, Tim (2009-11-04). "Severity of injury big factor in OHL ruling". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 2009-12-03.
4. ^ Staff report (2009-11-07). "Injured OHL player released from hospital". Toronto Star. Retrieved 2009-12-02. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
5. The Canadian Press (2009-12-03). "Liambas joins IHL following OHL ban for injuring player". The Sports Network. Retrieved 2009-12-03.
6. McGran, Kevin (2010-09-07). "Leafs give Liambas a shot". Toronto Star. Retrieved 2011-10-04. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
7. Hunter, Paul (2010-09-23). "Maple Leafs Cut Mike Liambas, 11 Others". Toronto Star. Retrieved 2011-10-04. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
8. Pap, Elliott (2010-09-29). "Controversial Winger Liambas Joins UBC Squad". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved 2011-10-04. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
9. Staff report (2011-02-27). "Bad-boy Liambas in trouble again". Toronto Sun. Retrieved 2011-10-04. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
10. Press release (2011-03-05). "ECHL transactions - March 5". ECHL. Retrieved 2011-10-04.
11. Press release (2011-07-14). "Cyclones add Liambas, Blair". ECHL. Retrieved 2011-10-04.

External links

• Mike Liambas career statistics at The Internet Hockey Database
• Mike Liambas career statistics at EliteProspects.com

Template:Persondata

• 1989 births
• Bloomington Prairie Thunder players
• Canadian ice hockey left wingers
• Erie Otters alumni
• Ice hockey people from Ontario
• Living people
• People from Vaughan