Lengthy suspension for Wilson
Washington Capitals winger banned 20 games for pre-season blindside hit
Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson was banned 20 games by the NHL on Wednesday for a blindside hit to the head of an opponent during a preseason game, the latest and most severe punishment in what the league called an “unprecedented” series of suspensions for the physical player.
Wilson’s fourth ban in less than 13 months will cost him nearly a quarter of the 82-game regular season - only five NHL players have been suspended longer for on-ice play - and $1.26 million in salary. It was announced just hours before the reigning Stanley Cup champion Capitals were to raise a banner and open their title defence by hosting the Boston Bruins.
The right winger, who plays on Washington’s top line with captain Alex Ovechkin, was ejected for the hit on St. Louis Blues centre Oskar Sundqvist in the second period of the teams’ exhibition game on Sunday. Wilson had an in-person hearing with the NHL’S Department of Player Safety in New York on Wednesday.
The video released to explain the punishment says: “Wilson delivers a high, forceful hit, which makes Sundqvist’s head the main point of contact on a hit where such head contact was avoidable and causes an injury.” It also admonishes him for taking “a poor angle of approach.”
Blues coach Mike Yeo called the hit “predatory.”
Wilson’s suspension, which he can appeal, is the longest handed down by the league since Raffi Torres of the San Jose Sharks was banned a record 41 games in 2015, also for a preseason hit.
The league noted that Wilson “is considered a repeat offender” - and, indeed, this is hardly the first time the sixthyear player has been in trouble for the way he has taken out an opponent.
He was suspended twice because of preseason hits a year ago, then had to sit out three games during the playoffs for a check to the head that broke Pittsburgh Penguins centre Zach Aston-reese’s jaw and caused a concussion.
“In short, including preseason and post-season games played, this is Wilson’s fourth suspension in his last 105 games, an unprecedented frequency of suspensions in the history of the Department of Player Safety,” the NHL video says.
During a conference call with reporters in July to discuss his new deal, Wilson spoke about how he needed to adjust his playing style.
“It would be stubborn on my part not to admit that the game is changing. There is definitely an eye on that part, the physical part of the game, in the NHL right now. I want to be contributing. I want to be a part of the success of the group. If I’m not going to adapt and change with the times, I’m not going to be able to do that. I want to be on the ice and not in the box or not in the stands,” Wilson said at the time.
“That physical part of my game is always going to be there. That’s the nature of who I am. That’s how I play the game. I’m not going to let anyone take that away from me,” he added. “But I have to be smart about it. You’ve got to play within the rules.”