Washington Capitals winger Tom Wilson has received a six-game suspension for high-sticking Noah Gregor of the Toronto Maple Leafs, per Sammi Silber of The Hockey News. Wilson earned a double-minor penalty on the play, which saw him one-handed swing his stick across his body and into Gregor’s face. He was offered an in-person hearing, making him eligible for a suspension longer than five games.
This marks the sixth suspension of Wilson’s career, placing him in elite company among the NHL’s most-suspended players – a list led by Chris Pronger (seven suspensions) and Brad Marchand (eight suspensions). Wilson will have spent a combined 36 games suspended once he’s done with this absence – including his preseason suspension in 2017 and the reduction of his 20-game suspension in 2018 to 14 games. He will forfeit $161,458.32 in salary for high-sticking Gregor, per The Athletic’s Chris Johnston, bringing him to $1.563MM in salary forfeited to suspensions in his career. That’s $100,000 more than Marchand has spent in his path to the most-suspended player in league history.
Despite his long history of punishment, and the fact that he’s spent all 746 games of his career in one place, Wilson hasn’t yet earned the title of most-penalized Washington Capital. That instead belongs to the infamous Dale Hunter, who managed 2,003 penalty minutes in 872 games with the Capitals, in addition to 1,562 penalty minutes in 535 games with other teams. Fellow DOPS-favorite Scott Stevens also ranks ahead of Wilson in all-time penalty minutes, earning 1,628 in just 601 games with the Capitals. Both Hunter (2) and Stevens (14) rank in the top-15 of all-time penalty minutes.
2012orioles
They fear the Willy! I get why people don’t like him but like it or not he’s cleaned his game up and is a legitimate power forward. This was incidental imo. 6 is a lot. I get it. But I know people see the name Tom Wilson and act like he’s bad for the game and want the worst for him. Tough break for the caps, too. Pushing for playoffs with a brutal remaining schedule with no Wilson for 6 of them is tough
DarkSide830
“cleaned his game up” LMFAO
2012orioles
It’s been 3 years since his last one. Go ahead and quote and lol all you want. You’re wrong
Spaced-Cowboy
I’ll agree that he has changed his game, or polished it. But a duck is duck.
azcm2511
Incidental??? Come on, there was zero “incidental” in that stick swing.
TJECK109
This is based on his history. I don’t think he meant to hit him in the head area but he definitely was wreckless in how he swung it. Regardless of intent he’s gotta serve the time for stupidity
bigdaddyt
Even if he didn’t mean to hit Gregor in the head he still recklessly swung his stick in Gregor’s direction and could have resulted in serious injury
bigdaddyt
Same people saying this wasn’t bad are the same people saying that Rielly should have had the book thrown at him for the Greg incident
dave frost nhlpa
Imagine if he did that to Tiger Williams or Gordie Howe. We would still be there.
User 318310488
I am a Wilson fan but the big left handed swing body language was not a good look for Tom Wilson. I’m not surprised by the length of suspension.
deadthings
Parros is an infant.
User 318310488
Arvidsson just came back from injury after the egregious and illegal contact he received from Marchand in February, And we got crickets as a response from the league.
Roidville Slugger
Thaaaaank you…
wreckage
Arvidsson played 2 games after the Kings played Boston. He was not injured by Marchand.But continue spinning you’re own narratives again.
jdgoat
I’d like to know how they came to the conclusion that this is 6 games while Trouba only got fined earlier this season. I don’t really see much difference between the two plays.
Mr Chi Pig
Cool guy.
PoisonedPens
Wilson is the Gretzky of fine dollars.