At this point it’s probably safe to assume that no force on earth can stop Sean Avery. Whether he’s bashing other players on the ice or ex-girlfriends in the media, this guy rubs everybody the wrong way. The latest infraction occurred on Sunday when Avery apparently sucker-punched Oilers defenseman Ladislav Smid after refusing to fight the Czech. While the video of the accusation is inconclusive, Avery’s history might lead you to believe that the Oilers have a valid argument.

Whether you think Avery is good for hockey or not revolves around what your opinion of good entertainment is. At best, he’s a serviceable forward capable of changing a game every now and then with his antics rather than his stick. The league has admitted that they’ve warned Avery about his behavior, and encouraged him to seek counseling. Clearly that did not do any good. Avery continues to be public enemy number one in the NHL.

Avery has made a career walking the fine line. He continually pesters other players to the point that they lose focus and something good happens for Avery and his team from it. Then in post-game interviews, those opposing players talk about how dirty Avery is, the level of his character, etc., but by the next game, everybody watches Avery do it all over again. Nobody seems willing to give Avery a taste of his own medicine out of fear that becoming the NHL equivalent of a vigilante will land them with a suspension.

But maybe that’s exactly what hockey needs. Almost every team in the league has an assigned “goon” whose primary role seems only to brawl his counterpart night after night. Why haven’t any of these guys found a way to play Avery’s way? Avery has gotten away with many, many infractions against “unwritten rules,” so it’s not like there’s any set precedent against getting back at Avery. An eye for an eye might help put Avery in his place.