NHL: Was Rene Bourque's Hit on Chicago Blackhawks Brent Seabrook Handled Fairly?

Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Brent Seabrook left Sunday night's game with the Calgary Flames after being boarded by Rene Bourque. Bourque was handed a two-game suspension by the NHL yesterday for his actions.

Are those two games out enough of a punishment for Bourque?

The answer lies in where Seabrook is when the 'Hawks take on the Penguins tonight in Pittsburgh. Is he on the ice or in street clothes?

One thing I have to point out before any discussion of the hit continues is that Brendan Shanahan's videos explaining the suspension process may be the best use of technology in sports today. The insight into each individual case shows me that the league scored big time by handing the reins of discipline to Shanahan.

You can watch the suspension video here. You can also watch the action from the game leading up to the hit from Sunday's television broadcast. Both clearly show the following:

1. Seabrook clearly has his back to Bourque.
2. Bourque lines up Seabrook and finishes the check right into the boards.

Shanahan's explanation of the situation pretty much says it all.

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"Seabrook is neither falling, nor turning to any degree that would absolve Bourque of responsibility. The onus is on Bourque to avoid this hit completely, or at the very least minimize it when he sees an opponent in the vulnerable position on the boards."

"Not only does Bourque pursue Seabrook for several feet, he fails to minimize this dangerous play to an acceptable degree."

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So, Bourque is guilty as charged, having been given both five a minute-major penalty and a game misconduct by the officials. Is the two-game suspension sufficient in this case? Let's go back to Shanahan:

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"We've also taken into account that though Seabrook was shaken up and missed the rest of the game, he suffered no apparent injury as a result of the hit. It is important to note that Bourque never has been fined or suspended during his seven season NHL career."

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Bourque lacks the history of James Wisniewski, another former Blackhawks teammate of Seabrook who delivered an illegal hit to Seabrook two years ago and got an eight game suspension. A player with priors in this instance probably receives at least double the punishment, but I can handle that part of the explanation.

The part I have trouble accepting is the reasoning that Seabrook suffered no apparent injury.

A player who has been subjected to multiple concussions, most notably this past spring after a cheap shot by Raffi Torres, was boarded hard and missed the rest of the game. Shanahan must have received some assurance from the team that Seabrook was alright.

You know, the team that let Seabrook go back on the ice immediately after the Torres hit, when it was apparent that Seabrook was in no condition to play?

I'll be as glad as anyone to see that Seabrook is 100-percent and in action in Pittsburgh. However, how sure can we be of that at this point? More importantly, how do we know what kind of long-term damage resulted from Seabrook's head hitting both the glass and the ice surface?

The science of head trauma tells us that Seabrook has indeed suffered an injury. If that's a factor, then maybe Bourque got off a bit light. If Seabrook starts exhibiting post-concussion symptoms, will the suspension be doubled?

While I will continue to give Shanahan and the NHL kudos for the transparency they've provided in the area of discipline, I would urge them to continue to refine the process.