The NHL Department of Player Safety (DOPS) has come down with a decision that Tom Wilson of the Washington Capitals will be suspended for six games following a high stick against Toronto Maple Leafs forward Noah Gregor.
Tom Wilson Suspended
On Wednesday night, the Washington Capitals took on the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Capitals are in a somewhat surprising push for the playoffs with every point needed to get into a wild card spot. But in this game, with less than ten minutes left in the third period and the Leafs leading 6-3, Wilson went in to hit Gregor on the boards. As the play moved away from them, Wilson swung his stick with one hand and hit Gregor in the face. While Wilson almost instantly reacted to the high stick by holding onto Gregor, a four-minute double minor penalty was assessed against him. The Leafs would score and go on to win 7-3.
Considering that Wilson is a repeat offender and has run into trouble with the DOPS before, they offered him an in-person hearing following this incident. The key to an in-person hearing versus a phone hearing is that the DOPS could assess a suspension of six games or more with an in-person hearing. Following that hearing, they came to this decision on a suspension for Wilson.
What This Means
For a Capitals team pushing for the playoffs, losing Wilson is not ideal. While he might be somewhat beyond his prime years, Wilson still plays a heavy and physical game while putting up points. In 66 games this season, Wilson has 17 goals and 15 assists. This includes five goals on the power play.
While the Capitals sold off various players at the trade deadline, they are still making some noise when it comes to challenging for a playoff spot. A lot of their younger players have been filling in well and without Wilson will have to continue. It will certainly provide a challenge for the team.
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