Tom Wilson Suspended Six Games for High-Sticking Incident
Washington Capitals winger Tom Wilson has been suspended for six games by the NHL’s Department of Player Safety for a high-sticking incident involving Toronto Maple Leafs forward Noah Gregor. The suspension, which is tied for the longest handed out this season, stems from an incident late in Wednesday’s game between the two teams.
Wilson swung his stick in a “reckless fashion,” striking Gregor in the face and drawing a double-minor penalty. The league’s video announcing the suspension emphasized that Wilson’s actions were “not related to any sort of legitimate hockey action” and that he is “accountable for the dangerous result of the play.”
This is the sixth time Wilson has been suspended since 2017, and his first since a seven-game ban for boarding in 2021. He has also been fined three times for various offenses. The suspension will cost Wilson $161,458 in salary and will sideline him for upcoming games against Winnipeg, Detroit, Toronto, Boston, and Buffalo.
Wilson’s absence is a significant blow to the Capitals, who are currently battling for a playoff spot. He is the team’s All-Star representative and has 17 goals this season, third-most among remaining players after the trade deadline.
“Huge absence in our lineup,” said Capitals coach Spencer Carbery. “I don’t need to go into length about what he provides our team from a leadership standpoint, veteran presence standpoint, what he does on the ice.”
Wilson, who signed a seven-year, $45.5 million contract extension that begins next season, is considered a potential successor to Alex Ovechkin as captain and face of the franchise. He will not be eligible to return until April.