Washington Capitals winger Tom Wilson received a double-minor penalty in Wednesday's matchup. An in-person hearing could result in a suspension of more than five games.
Tom WilsonTom Wilson could end up sitting out more than five games after a high stick on Wednesday.
The NHL Department of Player Safety announced it's offered the Washington Capitals right winger an in-person hearing for high-sticking Toronto Maple Leafs forward Noah Gregor in Wednesday's contest. In-person hearings mean NHL Player Safety has the option to suspend a player for six games or more.
With less than eight minutes to go in the game, which the Maple Leafs led the Capitals 6-3 at the time, Wilson was assessed a double-minor penalty. Toronto scored on the power play in a 7-3 Leafs win.
Gregor faced the boards and attempted to play the puck as Wilson came in to hit him. With the puck away from the two players, Wilson swung his stick with one hand, which appeared to hit Gregor in the mouth. Almost immediately after, Wilson appeared to react to his high stick, and he held on to Gregor.
Gregor appeared to lean forward as Wilson swung his stick, but it was a high swing regardless of intention.
Wilson has been suspended five times already in his career, the most significant of which was a 20-game suspension for a hit to the head on then-St. Louis Blues player Oskar Sundqvist in September 2018. A neutral arbitrator reduced the length of the suspension to 14 games.
The 29-year-old from Toronto was last suspended in March 2021 for seven games after boarding Brandon Carlo of the Boston Bruins. He was also fined in May 2021 for punching then-New York Rangers forward Pavel Buchnevich in the head when the latter was down on the ice.
So far this season, Wilson has had 17 goals, 32 points and 120 penalty minutes in 66 games.
With more reaction to the news, here's Jacob Stoller: