I think the league handed out a great suspension of 25 games. I was worried they'd drop the ball and only give him a couple since Kesler didn't get injured. I'd like to know what everyone else thinks though.
2007-10-12 18:05:00 · 14 answers · asked by player44 2 in Sports ➔ Hockey
He intended to hit Kesler in the face with the purpose of injuring him just like he intended to swing his stick like a baseball bat at Andrew Long's head in junior hockey, putting Long in critical condition.
You can come up with any X-Files theory you as to why it might have been an accident, but the guy has a history and probably some mental problems. If he had pulled these stunts on the street he would be facing jail time.
If he had some beef with Kessler, he should be a man and drop the gloves, not a coward who head-checks a player who isn't looking.
Watch the video below ... maybe this is why Boulerice doesn't want to square off face-to-face.
2007-10-13 06:51:25 · answer #1 · answered by Paul O 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
According to some article that had some quotes from Colin Campbell I read somewhere (I don't remember where I found it, but I think it might've been NHL.com), the NHL doesn't take the player's prior actions into account. I don't know if that means in juniors or on the farm teams or whether they pulled crap in the NHL or even all of the above. Either way, Boulerice pulled crap like what he did to Kesler in juniors and if I read another article from somewhere that I don't remember right, he was charged for assault with that... This guy's obviously a cheapshot artist, so I'm kinda wondering if the NHL made a mistake in not taking prior behavior into account...
It seems like Boulerice has some serious anger management issues to me... As for the suspension, if you take into account that he very well could pull something like this again based on his history (which, yeah, I know, the NHL didn't do), I honestly think it should've been more.
I really think that if the NHL wants to cut down on the cheap crap, they should go back to the way it was before the instigator rule... From what I've read (I was really young back then, and I wasn't even born for a lot of that era either, so all I have to go on are books and the occasional conversation with somebody who was alive and capable of remembering those days), it looks like Buttman was and is trying to turn the NHL into the NBA.
And that won't work anyway.
As an Ohio State fan for 12 years (when we moved to Ohio) and counting, I'm glad Kesler was OK. I don't like seeing anyone get hurt let alone a former Buckeye.
2007-10-12 22:35:27 · answer #2 · answered by JacketsFan4Life 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
If this had been his first instance of this kind of abuse I'd agree with the suspension but he has done this kind of crap before (he swung his stick in junior like a bat and smashed another player's jaw) which makes me believe he has issues and the league should have said that's it you are done. Although Kessler wasn't injured on the play it's obvious that Boulerice doesn't have the mental capacity to control himself. Also, since this was the second time in a month a Flyer player has been fingered for a suspension the league should have put the Flyer's on warning that any more crap would start costing them big time.
I'm just wondering why people haven't connected the two instances and come out screaming for Stevens' head. If he doesn't have control of his players or if he's firing them up to go out and play like this he needs to be brought down a peg or two.
If the league is so concerned about it's image in the US, why didn't they give him 40 games?
Another point that was brought up about this is that Boulerice may have had a roid rage moment. Since the only reason the guy is on the Flyer's is because he's their so called enforcer, the league should investigate that possibility. Part of his suspension should have been mandatory steroids testing every two weeks for the rest of the season.
2007-10-13 03:38:45 · answer #3 · answered by PuckDat 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
I totally agree. I'm also glad that the NHL stood up and gave the punishment based on the action, rather than the result. This isn't some heavy hit that crushed someone against the boards a little too vigourously. This is totally out of the game, from a player who's known for it (even though most people probably have never heard his name, and probably never will again). Good on the NHL for acting based on that, rather than whether Kesler got injured or not. I would hate for the league to become full of players feigning injury in order to get penalised opponents in more trouble.
2007-10-13 03:17:58 · answer #4 · answered by The Camel 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Jessie should have gotten 40 games just because the intent to injure was there. These actions must be curtailed or we will see goonery costing the careers of players. I wonder what the ruling would have been if he hit Crosby instead of Kesler?
2007-10-13 16:08:41 · answer #5 · answered by kamac6699 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The NHL made a great decision to suspend him for 25 games. Here are 2 good reasons why. 1. It sends a message to the rest of the league that there is no tolerance for plays like that. 2. It also saves the league; it doesn't make the league look so bad to its fan base and NHL fanatics. Yes fights and hits are exciting, but any vulgar display of aggression is simply dispicable.
2007-10-13 04:39:51 · answer #6 · answered by SuperDave! 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I saw the hit and won't make excuses, but I thought for a moment that he intended to hit Keslers upper arm and the stick slipped up and caught his neck. And that perhaps the new materials used in the jerseys in combination with the shell of his arm pads made the slippage possible.
But I'm not Boulerice, so none of us will know if he intended to hit Kesler in the head or not.
The suspension seems apt.
2007-10-12 19:00:56 · answer #7 · answered by Awesome Bill 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I don't think there is ever need to cross-check someone in the face and the suspension was justified, although 20 games would have been OK too. At the same time, I hope the NHL doesn't become like the NFL where if you breathe on someone you get flagged.
2007-10-12 18:40:53 · answer #8 · answered by Laying Low- Not an Ivy Leaguer 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
i think it was fair kinda expected more even though kesler was not injured bad i don't think severity of injury should have an effect on the punishment too bad they just started dealing out the big punishments now i would have liked to see gary suter get the same for the vicious head shot on kariya several years ago
2007-10-13 02:06:20 · answer #9 · answered by lambtonliner 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
i admire the call Jesse for a boy! And it sounds super paired up with Thomas. the two names are magnificent-looking, masculine and age nicely! i might evaluate naming my son Jesse, confident. I actually think of it particularly is a boy's call, no longer suited for a sprint woman. woman names: Jacqueline. Jocelyn. Jillian. Jordin. Jessica. Jennifer. Jessa. Julia.
2016-11-08 04:05:21 · answer #10 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋