Tom Wilson's 20-Game Suspension Upheld by Commissioner Gary Bettman

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman announced Thursday he's upheld the 20-game suspension given to Washington Capitals winger Tom Wilson for an illegal hit to the head of St. Louis Blues center Oskar Sundqvist during a preseason game in September. 

The league confirmed Wilson would forfeit $1.26 million of his salary for the 2018-19 season as part of the punishment. The money goes into the Players' Emergency Assistance Fund.

John Shannon of Sportsnet reported the 24-year-old forward has seven days to file a new appeal to a neutral discipline arbitrator or accept the remaining portion of the ban.

Wilson, who was punished as a repeat offender, has already sat out the Caps' first eight games of their Stanley Cup defense.

"It's terrible," Wilson told Isabelle Khurshudyan of the Washington Post about the situation. "The guys go on a one-day road trip, and it feels like you haven't seen them in a month."

Meanwhile, the suspension decision was announced on the same day Sundqvist is expected to return from the injuries, including a concussion, suffered on the check, per Lou Korac of NHL.com.

Sundqvist told Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch on Sunday it was a "pretty bad hit" and explained his mindset about the situation.

"We'll see what happens then, but I hope (Wilson) has learned his lesson," Sundqvist said. "I mean, this is not the first time. I think they want to show him that this isn't OK anymore. But I don't know. I'm trying not to think about it too much. Just trying to recover and get healthy and get back on the ice."

If Wilson opts to end the appeal process, he will be eligible to return on Nov. 21 against the Chicago Blackhawks.