Jesse Boulerice
Jesse Boulerice | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 10, 1978 Rouses Point, New York, U.S. |
| Occupation | Retired professional ice hockey forward |
| Years active | 1994–2011 |
Jesse James Boulerice (born August 10, 1978) is a retired American professional ice hockey forward, recognized mainly for his enforcer role. The majority of his National Hockey League (NHL) tenure was spent with the Carolina Hurricanes.
Background
Hailing from Rouses Point, New York, Boulerice developed his hockey skills on a backyard rink constructed by his father. He competed for Team USA at the IIHF World Junior Championship, securing a silver medal in 1997, and spent three seasons competing in the Ontario Hockey League representing Detroit and Plymouth.
Playing career
Selected 133rd overall by the Philadelphia Flyers in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft, Boulerice’s career also included stints with the Carolina Hurricanes, St. Louis Blues, and Flyers. Early on, he was involved in a significant violent episode during his time in the OHL that led to assault charges.
In 2003, an on-ice fight resulted in Boulerice sustaining a broken jaw and concussion, underscoring the physical dangers associated with his enforcer duties. His role gradually declined as NHL regulations began penalizing coaches for encouraging fights late in games.
Boulerice received a 25-game suspension in 2007 following a cross-check to Vancouver Canucks forward Ryan Kesler, one of the lengthiest suspensions in recent NHL history.
During the 2008–09 season, he started with the AHL's Lake Erie Monsters after signing with the Colorado Avalanche. Shortly thereafter, he was claimed off waivers by the Edmonton Oilers, only to be reclaimed by Colorado after two appearances.
For the 2009–10 season, Boulerice signed a one-year contract with the AHL's Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, where he led the team in penalty minutes with 124 across 54 games. He extended his contract for another year in 2010. In January 2011, he faced a 10-game suspension for intentionally colliding with an AHL official.
Personal life
Following his retirement from professional hockey in 2011, Boulerice transitioned into a financial advisory role at Merrill-Lynch based in Raleigh, North Carolina. He also dedicates time coaching part-time for North Carolina’s Junior Hurricanes and participates on the board of the Raleigh Youth Hockey Association. He resides in Raleigh with his wife Cailin and their three children.
Regular season and playoffs
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1994–95 | Hawkesbury Hawks | CJHL | 46 | 1 | 8 | 9 | 160 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1995–96 | Detroit Whalers | OHL | 64 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 150 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | ||
| 1996–97 | Detroit Whalers | OHL | 33 | 10 | 14 | 24 | 209 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1997–98 | Plymouth Whalers | OHL | 53 | 20 | 23 | 43 | 170 | 13 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 35 | ||
| 1998–99 | Philadelphia Phantoms | AHL | 24 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 82 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1998–99 | New Orleans Brass | ECHL | 12 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 38 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
International
| Year | Team | Tournament | Outcome | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | United States | WJC | Template:Silver2 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | |
| 1998 | United States | WJC | 5th place | 7 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 10 | |
| Junior career totals | 13 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 14 | ||||