It looks like the NHL is thinking about suspending Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson for more than five games. They offered him an in-person heading via Zoom for boarding Boston Bruins defenseman Brandon Carlo. That in-person hearing gives the NHL the excuse to throw the hammer down.
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Wilson hit Carlo during a forecheck but nailed him in the head and up against the glass. There were no penalties on the play but Carlo had to be helped off of the ice. It appears the NHL has decided Wilson boarded a defenseless Carlo, which is why they view the play as so egregious.
It’s hard to make a guess on the number of games Wilson will get because the NHL has established such a wide range of possibilities based on its own inconsistent past. It could be five, it could be 10. But, the player has a history in the NHL and the argument is that he crunched Carlo’s head in a very serious hit that the league can’t let slide.
The Two Sides of the Wilson Hit
The argument to set an example with Wilson after this play comes from those who believe he’s a disgrace to the NHL. They’ll ask how many times does this have to happen before the NHL absolutely throws the book at him? He’s talented, but he can’t seem to help himself from taking the dirty play over the clean one time and time again.
Others are saying the head wasn’t the principle point of contact. They’ll argue that if the NHL levies a heavy suspension, it will be because they are targeting Wilson.
The reaction on social media Saturday is mixed. TSN’s Frank Seravalli suggested the hit wasn’t even illegal. Clearly, the NHL does not agree based on the fact they are about to give him at least five games to sit and think about things.
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