WORRY ABOUT THE VICTIM IN LATEST WILSON EPISODE

Caps forward will do his time and return, but Carlo's career might never be the same

During the 15 days Tom Wilson can't play because of his suspension, except for missing his teammates and the competitive rush of the games, he'll feel fine.

During most of those same 15 days, Brandon Carlo will not. Wilson, able to work out, will return ready to pick up where he left off. Carlo will not. Wilson plays his first game back on Saturday.

Wilson may be a very nice guy. He may be a good teammate, a good friend, a good son or brother. He may love dogs or cats. He may do selfless work for charities.

He's a good player. He has always been big and tough. After being suspended for 14 games by the NHL in 2018, after being pummeled by character-questioning comments that ensued from fans, commentators, and significantly, many fellow players, through talent and hard work he has made himself a scorer. An offensive threat. Someone his teammates, coaches and Washington Capitals' fans love having on their side. Someone his opponents hate to play against.

Earlier this month, he was suspended again. It all began as a routine play. The puck was in the corner near the Bruins' net, Carlo and a Caps player went after it, they bumped. Wilson, skating at normal pursuit speed, joined the play.

The puck was loose at Carlo's feet, so Wilson might have gone after it. He might have hit Carlo, to control him, to more easily control the puck. He might have hit him hard.

Instead, he crushed Carlo's head up against the glass. There was no strategic purpose in what he did. He did it because he could.

After someone is hurt, players in all sports say: “You never like to see someone injured.” And they mean it. Making an opponent feel some pain, that's part of the test of the game. That's OK. That player will get over it. The pain will go away.

Any more than that is not OK. Carlo crumpled and went down. He's out, ominously, from “weekto-week.”

The NHL reviewed the incident. Because of the potential severity of its ruling, Wilson had the right to an in-person Zoom hearing, which he waived, instead choosing to take part by conference call. The league then released its findings in a three-minute video. It showed the play from different angles, at different speeds. It noted the rules, in painstaking detail those that apply and those that don't. It provided potential explanations for Wilson's actions, potential arguments on his behalf, to ensure fairness. It cited his past history, then offered its judgment: a seven-game suspension.

The Capitals will be without a significant player for oneeighth of this shortened 56-game NHL season. Wilson will lose US$311,781.61 in salary.

But this isn't about Wilson. Carlo is also a good player. He may also be a nice guy, a good teammate, a good friend, a good son or brother. He may also love dogs or cats and do selfless work for charities. In his own way, he is somebody who his teammates, coaches and Boston Bruins' fans love on their side. Somebody who his opponents hate to play against. And now he has a head injury.

Imagine if he, too, had the right to have an in-person hearing with the league. Not to talk about what he did on the play, and why, but to say how he's feeling, how he felt right afterwards, how he feels now, what he can do and can't do. How his wife or partner feels, if he has one, of his kids, or parents.

Not just the pain he's feeling, but also the uncertainty. How many weeks will he be out? And then what? How will he feel after that? What will he be able to do and not do? What about his next contract?

Is he “damaged goods”? That five-year deal that would have been on the table, maybe now it's three years. Under a salary cap, every dollar counts and there are lots of other good players around, players who are less risky.

Has George Parros, the NHL'S head of player safety, ever had that kind of in-person hearing? Has Gary Bettman? Has he ever heard that story?

That head shot a few days ago in Boston isn't about Wilson. It's about Carlo.