QMJHL chief to investigate Sea Dog's dismissal

Junior hockey league copes with fallout from fired player, while readers weigh in

Last Updated: Tuesday, December 19, 2006 | 2:58 PM AT

CBC News

The commissioner of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League will decide Wednesday whether to discipline the coach of the Saint John Sea Dogs for firing a player.

Sea Dogs head coach Jacques Beaulieu cut left-winger Dave Bouchard from the team on Saturday after he failed to sign a flag that was sent to Canadian troops in Afghanistan.

Former Saint John Sea Dog David Bouchard at his home in Jonquiere, Que., on Monday.
(CBC)

Bouchard, 20, who is now home in Jonquière, Que., said it's all a big misunderstanding and thought another player had signed his name on his behalf. He has apologized to his coach, saying he should have signed the flag.

League commissioner Gilles Courteau told the Hockey News he is satisfied the player wasn’t released because of the flag situation, but is still concerned that Beaulieu told the media that was part of the reason.

Courteau said he intends to speak with Beaulieu, team president Scott McCain and others in the Sea Dogs' front office before deciding on a course of action.

Beaulieau told reporters Bouchard was fired partly because of his performance on the team. He says the player's decision not to sign the flag is just another sign that Bouchard isn't working out as a Sea Dog. 

Beaulieu wants to show support for the troops, and insists that every single one of his players and coaches show their support as well.

Sea Dogs coach Jacques Beaulieu said Bouchard's decision to leave his name off the flag didn't meet the team's moral code.
(CBC)

"It's just something that I really believe in," he said. "You do have freedom of speech in Canada. You are allowed to say whatever you want but we have standards here. And we're going to live by them."

Beaulieu adds that Bouchard hasn't been playing as well as expected, even though the six-foot, 193-pound forward was among the team's top goal scorers this season with 15 goals and 23 points in 34 games.

The decision to cut the player has provoked strong reaction from CBC.ca readers across the country, some criticizing the coach for showing poor judgment, while others supported his right to make decisions about his own team.

Michael Suchocki of Chilliwack, wrote: "Had I had been the coach I would have slapped myself in the face for even thinking of doing such a selfish and unreasonable action. It was the player's choice to voluntarily withdraw his name from the flag. Therefore, it's not about any movement's action nor is it a protest, it was simply his choice."

From Regina, Nick Bobetsis wrote in support of the coach: "The coach did not act correctly. But the final decision is not ours. That belongs to the general manager, president and owner."

Reader Mark Pokorski said the team and its coach crossed the line by writing on a Canadian flag. "In trying to honour our armed forces, the Sea Dogs instead owe them an apology for their attempt to indoctrinate conflicting values in their name. Truly despicable behaviour," Pokorski wrote.

"In trying to show patriotism, the Sea Dogs instead owe Canadians an apology for defacing their national emblem."