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Tom Wilson to Meet with NHL Dept. of Player Safety After Hit on Brandon Carlo
March 6, 2021
The NHL announced Saturday that Washington Capitals right wing Tom Wilson was offered an in-person hearing with the Department of Player Safety after his hit on Boston Bruins defenseman Brandon Carlo late in the first period Friday night.
ESPN's Greg Wyshynski noted the proposed in-person meeting, which would take place over Zoom because of the coronavirus pandemic, suggests the league is considering a suspension of six games or more.
Wilson has been suspended four times for a total of 23 games and forfeited $979,674 in salary during his career, according to Spotrac.
Despite that history, he doesn't fit within the NHL's definition of a repeat offender since it's been more than 18 months since his last suspension.
"It is important to note that even if a player is not defined as a repeat offender, his past history may come into consideration when determining future supplemental discipline," the league states.
In January 2020, Wilson was voted the league's second-dirtiest player behind only the Bruins' Brad Marchand in a poll of his peers by The Athletic.
"I was thinking Tom Wilson," one player told The Athletic. "He does some stupid s--t. But he can play the game at least. He walks the edge and is very effective to his team."
Marchand was among the Bruins to speak out about Wilson's hit on Carlo:
Boston head coach Bruce Cassidy said the 24-year-old left TD Garden in an ambulance but had no further information.
"Clearly looked to me like he got him right in the head. A defenseless player, a predatory hit from a player that's done that before," Cassidy told reporters. "I don't understand why there wasn't a penalty called on the ice. They huddled up, but I did not get an explanation why."
Jarred Tinordi fought Wilson early in the second period, and then Trent Frederic fought Wilson in the third.
The Bruins (13-5-3) won 5-1 to move within one point of the Caps and New York Islanders (both 13-6-4) for the top spot in the East Division.
Boston and Washington next meet April 8.