Tom Wilson Hearing Set for Wednesday Morning

(PHN) — In a tweet Monday afternoon, the NHL announced reckless Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson would appear at an in-person hearing, Wednesday morning. Wilson is facing his fourth suspension in 12 months.

Sunday, in the Capitals preseason finale, Wilson received a match penalty for a blindside headshot on St. Louis Blues center Oskar Sundqvist.

Wilson’s most recent suspension was a stiff three-game penalty In Round 2 of the 2018 playoffs for a headshot on Pittsburgh Penguins winger Zach Aston-Reese. Wilson also narrowly escaped suspension in Round 1 against Columbus with a controversial charging penalty on Alex Wennberg.

Wilson was suspended for the first four games of last season after boarding St. Louis prospect Sam Blais, also in the preseason finale. And Wilson was given a two-game preseason ban for a hit on Blues forward Robert Thomas.

Sundqvist, 24, is a former Penguins center who was traded to St. Louis in the Ryan Reaves deal at the 2017 NHL Draft. Wilson caught Sundqvist at the blue line with a blindside hit at or above the shoulders which left Sundqvist prostrate on the ice.

Even if the primary point of contact was not Sundqvist’s head, the hit was still an illegal blindside hit. Within hours of the hit, NHL Department of Player Safety offered Wilson an in-person hearing. Such meetings, instead of a phone hearing, are typically a guarantee of a more serious suspension.

Wilson forfeited nearly $98,000 in salary for the four-game suspension, last season. However, he signed a six-year, $31 million contract this offseason.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain and face of the NHL was blunt when he discussed the Wilson case with reporters, Monday.