Enjoy your vacation, Jesse Boulerice. You've earned it.
The long arm of the NHL law has clothes-lined another imbecile, dropping a 25-game hammer on the latest Flyer to lose his marbles.
Toodles, and have fun during your time off.
Props to Colin Campbell, but I'm not ready to pass judgment on the length of the suspension just yet.
Sure, Campbell can saunter out of the phone booth, puff out his chest as his cape flaps in the wind, and say the NHL is making great strides towards outlawing these cheap shots.
Let's see what happens when someone brings a little Kryptonite with them to Campbell's Fortress of Solitude.
For instance, will Chris Pronger face that same music next time he tries to separate someone's head from their body with an elbow? Not likely.
Sorry, I'm not converted yet.
From where I sit, both Boulerice and Downie were no-brainers for Campbell. A combined 45 games for Dumb and Dumber makes for great headlines, but both should have arrived at their hearings with big red bows tied around them. Talk about gift-wrapped.
As my colleague, Dave Pollard, touched on yesterday, this is the second league where Boulerice has done impromptu facial reconstruction with his stick. Like Downie, he has a history. Like Downie, no one is going to miss him.
Now here's where it gets tricky.
For what's it is worth, the NHL is adamant that an offense in one league cannot not be used as leverage in another, at least when it comes to handing down suspensions. If you believe that, enroll in a Naivety 101 course. Right now, before the vacuum cleaner salesman pounds on the front door.
But you can bet, behind closed doors and with nary a camera around, Campbell saw Boulerice as a repeat offender and tacked on a few extra games.
The problem is, he can't say that in public. Next time, Campbell is going to have a lot to answer for if any offender walks out of the NHL offices minus a ball and chain.
Campbell has fired his warning shot. Now the players know they will be tossed to the NHL curb if they persist with that type of garbage.
For credibility's sake, the same rules better apply to everyone.
Anything less, Philadelphia fans will be demanding a hanging at sunrise from the Liberty Bell.