Earlier in the pre-season, Flyers rookie F Steve Downie left his feet while throwing a calculated hit on Senators F Dean McCammond. One could argue that Downie was ‘just trying to make an impression on his coach and make the team’ but what does that say for the type of player the Flyers are looking for. McCammond is just returning to the Sens line-up this week – Downie was suspended 20 games.
Then, not five games into the regular season, Flyers F Jesse Boulerice received a match penalty for intent to injure and was suspended 25 games after a ridiculous cross-check to the head of Canucks F Ryan Kesler. Boulerice is a ‘bubble’ player and no doubt plays hard. But just how hard does he need to play to keep his spot on the roster? Obviously too hard. Kesler luckily did not miss any playing time.
Last Saturday, Flyers D Randy Jones, not known for rough play, took Bruins F Patrice Bergeron hard into the end boards head first. The hit resulted in a long delay in play as medical attendants strapped Bergeron into a stretcher. The extent of the injuries included a broken nose and severe concussion – Bergeron currently needs the aid of a wheelchair to travel 200 yards at times. Jones was suspended two games.
The Philadelphia Flyers ‘hard-nosed’ image needs to be exploited as an example to the rest of the league. Management, coaches, and players need to become further accountable with respect to situations where hits to the head and intent to injure arise during play. Longer suspensions and higher fines to the team as well as the player need to be implemented in an attempt to clean this area of the game up.
