Capitals’ Wilson: ‘A lot of learning’ during suspension for hit

Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson will have a hearing with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman on Thursday as he is preparing to appeal his 20-game suspension from the NHL’s Department of Player Safety next week. Wilson is less than two weeks into his suspension, and pending an appeal, he still has more than a month to go, not eligible to play again until Nov. 21 after his illegal check to the head of St. Louis Blues forward Oskar Sundqvist in the teams’ preseason finale. In the meantime, the NHL Players’ Association has filed an appeal on Wilson’s behalf. The process doesn’t necessarily end after that ruling; Wilson and the NHLPA can then appeal to a neutral arbitrator, but these things tend to drag. But a successful appeal could have significant financial ramifications. Wilson forfeited roughly $1.2 million as part of the suspension, based on his contract’s average annual value of $5.17 million, and while he received a signing bonus of $5 million, his actual salary this season is $1.1 million. Unless the suspension is reduced, he won’t see another pay check for the rest of the season. “It’s definitely an experience that you hope you never have to go through,” Wilson said of the appeal. “There’s a lot of learning. All of a sudden you’re surrounded by lawyers and stuff like that. I’m a hockey player and I want to play hockey. … [The appeal is] going to take on the business side of it. I have to focus when I come to the rink every day, and then obviously when something comes up with the situation, I have to address that in the best way that I can.”