One team, 2 suspensions, 45 games
Posted 9:16 PM ET | Comments 7
As most of you already know, Jesse Boulerice was suspended for 25 games after his crosscheck to Ryan Kesler's face a couple days ago. The question is, was it enough?
By terms of Chris Simon getting the same sentence last year, yes, it's a perfect punishment.
But by terms of Steve Downie getting 20 for an unnecessary hit on Dean McAmmond, Boulerice should have gotten at least 30 games.
The league is obviously failing in their attempt to eliminate the blows to the head that has been a minor, but still semi-prevalent problem for many years.
One team being handed a total of 45 man-games lost to suspension from blows to the head is absurd in one season, but in less than three weeks is absolutely ludicrous. It is clear to me that dealing out worse and worse penalties to these hits isn't working like they *coughbettmancough* would like, and here is my idea:
Penalize the team as well.
Plain and simple, if a team/coach is fined $10,000 for sending "goons" on the ice after a barely - if at all - legal hit, then why shouldn't a team be fined for one - let alone two - of their players take out a player with his stick or body to the victim's head?
Would McSorley have hit Brashear if he knew Boston would have been fined 10G? Maybe. Would Bertuzzi have sucker-punched Steve Moore if Vancouver were to be fined 10 grand? Probably. Would Chris Simon have baseballed Hollweg? Maybe not, but he was "concussed". Though I highly doubt Steve Downie would have taken out McAmmond if the Flyers were to be fined upwards of 10 or 20 large, because taking out McAmmond was a mistake on his part, possibly ending his NHL career before it started. But I doubt Philly would have even signed him into the Phantoms in the AHL if THEY had to pay for Downie's actions as well.
And Boulerice would likely be out of a job in Philly if it cost them heavily. Knowing their job could be in danger, it might make players think twice or three times before they let their emotions control them into harmful situations.
thanks,
Rohllie
P.S. Maybe they should just pay for the players Hospital Bill XD
By terms of Chris Simon getting the same sentence last year, yes, it's a perfect punishment.
But by terms of Steve Downie getting 20 for an unnecessary hit on Dean McAmmond, Boulerice should have gotten at least 30 games.
The league is obviously failing in their attempt to eliminate the blows to the head that has been a minor, but still semi-prevalent problem for many years.
One team being handed a total of 45 man-games lost to suspension from blows to the head is absurd in one season, but in less than three weeks is absolutely ludicrous. It is clear to me that dealing out worse and worse penalties to these hits isn't working like they *coughbettmancough* would like, and here is my idea:
Penalize the team as well.
Plain and simple, if a team/coach is fined $10,000 for sending "goons" on the ice after a barely - if at all - legal hit, then why shouldn't a team be fined for one - let alone two - of their players take out a player with his stick or body to the victim's head?
Would McSorley have hit Brashear if he knew Boston would have been fined 10G? Maybe. Would Bertuzzi have sucker-punched Steve Moore if Vancouver were to be fined 10 grand? Probably. Would Chris Simon have baseballed Hollweg? Maybe not, but he was "concussed". Though I highly doubt Steve Downie would have taken out McAmmond if the Flyers were to be fined upwards of 10 or 20 large, because taking out McAmmond was a mistake on his part, possibly ending his NHL career before it started. But I doubt Philly would have even signed him into the Phantoms in the AHL if THEY had to pay for Downie's actions as well.
And Boulerice would likely be out of a job in Philly if it cost them heavily. Knowing their job could be in danger, it might make players think twice or three times before they let their emotions control them into harmful situations.
thanks,
Rohllie
P.S. Maybe they should just pay for the players Hospital Bill XD
I was just thinking to myself today, "If they suspend another two players for a combined 37, they literally suspended an entire season." I don't think it was so much a coaches move to put an enforcer-like player on the ice with that big of a league to go out and pick fights. Frankly, I think the guy was out there just to protect the big names in case Vancouver tried to take some cheat shots. Of course, that was negated by Boulerice's actions. Personally, I feel any time the NHL gives a suspension the first question from peoples' mouths is "Was it enough?" I really think whatever the NHL says goes, but I'm not against your idea of teams being fined as well. Good idea.
errr....that big of a *lead
i dont think 25 was long enough. im a flyers fan and am still embarrassed. i really hope they dont bring him back after the suspension. whatever cap hit is necessary it will be worth it not to have that nut on the team anymore
Frank, the coach part in there was reference to Feb 22 of this year, the Chris Neil/Chris Drury situation
Actually the Canucks WERE fined after the Bertuzzi/Moore incident...if I remember correctly it was $250 000. And FrankD...the Canucks didn't hit anyone in that game...probably why the score was as it was. Boulerice out there to protect the big names?...who was on the ice at the time? What a ridiculous statement. I may as well say that it was the Canucks' fault then that Boulerice did what he did...cause he was only protecting his own players on the bench from a non-hitting team. think about it. And if what you say was true, then Philly definitely should have been fined big time...and all their fans suspended from Hockeybuzz!
A blog from a fan of a Team that hasnt had any toughness since its inception. Great blog
I noticed you left the Sutton and Tootoo shots to the head from this year out of your Blog. Maybe if they were suspending players taking shots to the head on players playing on American teams on American soil someone would take it seriously. What I've learned from this is that the Canadian Media wields a heavy stick.