Pierre Crinon now facing criminal charges in France for prior incident involving goaltender as fight with Tom Wilson revives prosecutorial complaint
Pierre Crinon is having a whirlwind of a week after getting into an Olympic fight with Tom Wilson this past weekend.
After being ejected from the game between Canada and France and taunting the crowd, Crinon was then barred by the French Ice Hockey Federation from participating in his team’s final game at the tournament, a 5-1 loss to Germany on Tuesday. However, it appears that a one-game suspension will be the least of his worries when he returns home, as it turns out his fight with Wilson has landed Crinon in hot water regarding some criminal court proceedings.
According to the French newspaper Le Dauphiné Libéré, the Public Prosecutor of Grenoble, after seeing Crinon’s tussle with Wilson, has decided to prosecute Crinon for a prior incident this year involving the defenseman and an opposing goalie.
In the incident, previously dismissed in court, Crinon punched a maskless netminder, former Ottawa Senators backstop Matt O’Connor, bloodying and injuring O’Connor’s eye. Crinon was suspended for seven games by Ligue Magnus, but O’Connor also made a criminal complaint against him.
“The newspaper Le Dauphiné Libéré announces that the Public Prosecutor of Grenoble has decided to initiate proceedings against Pierre Crinon,” the article reads, as translated via Google Translate. “These events relate to the brawl that occurred on November 30th during a league match. A complaint was filed by Angers goalkeeper Matt O’Connor, who had been punched by Pierre Crinon.
“Although the complaint had been dismissed, it was upon seeing Crinon repeat the offense at the 2026 Olympics that the Grenoble prosecutor, according to the Dauphiné Libéré, decided to prosecute him for the offense of intentional violence resulting in an ITT of less than eight days (3 for the goalkeeper of Angers). The hearing is scheduled to take place in Grenoble on May 27th.”
The French term ITT, or “Incapacité Totale de Travail,” refers to total incapacity for work, a legal measure used to assess the severity of physical or psychological harm caused by a crime that leaves a victim unable to work.
In Crinon’s case, since O’Connor missed just three days of work, he has only been charged with a petty offense, which can carry a fine of up to 1,500 euros. In more serious cases, where victims have missed eight or more days of work, offenders risk up to three years in prison and a 45,000 euros fine.
So, in summary, not only did Wilson end Crinon’s tournament early, but he also got him in legal trouble back home. He can add that one to his career accolades.
📸: Alan Dobbins/RMNB
