"I reacted in a bad way - the wrong way.”
Jesse Bouleric was ejected from Vancouver’s 8-2 loss to Philadelphia Wednesday night after a brutal cross-check to the face of Ryan Kesler that has Canucks Fanz columnist Brendan Batchelor calling for a lengthy suspension.

By Canucks Fanz Columnist: Brendan Batchelor

This isn’t Boulerice’s first scrape with hockey justice either. Boulerice was suspended for an entire season and charged with assault for a Marty McSorley-esque slash to the head of Andrew Long, then of the Guelph Storm, while playing for the Plymouth Whalers of the OHL.

Coming off the heels of a 20 game suspension to Philadelphia minor leaguer Steve Downie, critics say that the NHL should give Boulerice at least as long of a suspension as young Downie received for his poorly timed shoulder check to the head of Ottawa’s Dean McAmmond.

But this incident needs to be compared to others of its kind. Look at the factors. Boulerice contacted the head of the victim, used his stick in a violent manner (a tendency he has a history of,) and had obvious malicious attempt. When looking at these criteria one is reminded of such incidents as Chris Simon’s two-handed chop to the face of New York Ranger Bryce Hollweg last season, which resulted in a 25 game suspension for the Islander enforcer, and Marty McSorley’s brutal slash to the head of Donald Brashear in February of 2000 which earned him a one-year ban from the NHL - the latter sounds about right to me.

New youngsters in the NHL are becoming more reckless and violent than ever, and the league needs to send a message that these incidents are unacceptable. Kesler was nowhere near the play and in an obviously vulnerable position when Boulerice hit him, leaving no room for any explanations or excuses.

Boulerice should also be scolded for not learning his lesson. After his OHL experience you’d think he’d have the smarts to realize that what he’s doing is going to end up getting him banned from hockey, a punishment the NHL should seriously consider.

Throw the book at Jesse Boulerice. He didn’t learn his lesson last time, and nothing’s going to change now.

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