Discipline for Caps’ Wilson could be harsh

Capitals forward Tom Wilson will have an in-person hearing with the NHL’s Department of Player Safety in New York Wednesday morning after he was ejected from Sunday’s pre-season finale for an illegal check to the head of St. Louis Blues forward Oskar Sundqvist.

An in-person hearing means Wilson can be suspended for more than five games, and the timing of the hearing means he almost certainly won’t be in the lineup for Washington’s opening-night Stanley Cup banner-raising against the Boston Bruins Wednesday night.

Because Wilson was assessed a match penalty for his illegal check to the head of Sundqvist, he’s already suspended indefinitely pending a ruling from NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, which will presumably just be the Department of Player Safety’s decision on his punishment. Dating back to last pre-season, Wilson is facing his fourth suspension, which is why supplemental discipline is expected to be harsh.

Wilson plays on the Capitals’ top line with centre Evgeny Kuznetsov and captain Alex Ovechkin. He’s coming off a career season with 14 goals and 21 assists.

Wilson was most recently suspended three games in the second round of the playoffs for a hit that broke Penguins forward Zach Aston-Reese’s jaw.

“We’ve talked about it a lot with (Wilson),” Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby said Monday. “He still chooses to make those hits. I’m sure the league’s well aware of that. It’s not the first time we’re talking about a hit that he made, especially talking about us. For whatever reason, he still decides to do that . ... You also understand there are instances where guys get hit. It’s part of the game, it happens fast, their intent’s not there. But when a guy does it a handful of times, you start to question what the intent is.”