The NHL Department of Player Safety announced this afternoon that Tom Wilson will receive a player safety hearing on Tuesday for a hit delivered on Blues’ forward Sam Blais. The announcement comes just eight days after Wilson got suspended for two games for a hit delivered on Blues’ forward Robert Thomas.
The Department of Player will likely crack down harder on Wilson because now he has now earned a title as a repeat offender. No video of the hit has been shown yet.
Washington’s Tom Wilson will have a hearing tomorrow for boarding St. Louis’ Sam Blais.
— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) October 2, 2017
After the game, Blues’ coach Mike Yeo showed his anger of Wilson and had some advice on how the league should handle it. “It’s a predatory hit with a guy that apparently didn’t learn his lesson from the first suspension. Maybe coming down on him a little bit harder will make him think a little bit more about it. It’s tough going after vulnerable people,” Yeo said.
Wilson, 23, must get the dirty hits out of his game or else it’s going to a very long season for him and the Capitals. With the departures of Marcus Johansson and Justin Williams, who combined for 48 goals, Wilson is expected to pursue a third line role playing with Brett Connolly and Lars Eller after a good playoff performance. In the playoffs, Wilson scored 3 goals in 6 games against the Toronto Maple Leafs and was a big reason why the Capitals won the series.
Wilson will likely be suspended for the first 2-3 games of the regular season and return against the Tampa Bay Lightning next Monday or the Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday, October 11. Wilson is also in the final year of his 2-year contract he signed with the Capitals in June 2016 and will have to stop getting suspended if he wants to get a raise from his $2 million cap hit as he can become a restricted free agent July 1.
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By Harrison Brown
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