Public Enemy Number 43

For the sheer fact that I despise even typing his name, I will keep this one short.

 

For the embarrassing fan-base that accepts him as their own, this article won’t be your cup of tea, or maybe it will, I really don’t care.

However, for those of you that enjoy hockey and everything that the sport stands for, I’m positive we all can agree:

 

Tom Wilson is disgraceful to the game of hockey.

The best part? The NHL does not care.

 

The evidence:

No attempt to play the puck, shoulder to head, leaves his feet.

2 minutes for charging, no hearing, no fine, no suspension.

 

Long after the puck is played, Wilson pulls up on the hit and slew foots Sheary as he heads to the bench.

No penalty, no suspension, but a maximum fine of $2,403.67

 

Wilson hits Tom Moore in the back of his numbers and into the boards, head first.

No penalty, no fine, no suspension. Not even a discipline hearing. Moore is carried off on a stretcher and misses 20 games, Wilson misses none.

 

Wilson peels back with no focus on playing the puck, and leaves his skates to hit Robert Thomas. This was during the preseason this year. PRESEASON. Look familiar?

Wilson was finally suspended two games for this hit.

 

Later in the preseason, Wilson hits Sam Blais headfirst into the boards.

He was suspended four games for this hit, being cited as a “repeat offender”.

 

Game 1 of the first round, Wilson once again leaves the ice to torpedo his shoulder into Alex Wennberg’s head.

Two minutes for charging, no hearing, no fine, no suspension.

 

Now most recently, Game 2 of the Capitals series, Wilson clearly raises his shoulder to initiate contact to Dumoulin’s head. Regardless of Dumoulin turning, Wilson makes no effort to avoid his head and instead furthers the contact by extending his shoulder.

No penalty, no hearing, no fine, no suspension.

 

In Game 3 last night, Wilson sees Zach Aston-Reese turn after playing the puck, and utilizes his signature move of leaving the ice and leading with his shoulder into Aston-Reese’s jaw. Wilson left his feet so much so, that he ended up sitting on the wall of the bench. Aston-Reese will miss the rest of the playoffs with a broken jaw.

No penalty was called. Wilson had a discipline hearing scheduled today. He received a three game suspension and will be back on the ice for a potential game seven.

It is clear that the NHL’s Player Safety Committee’s first priority isn’t protecting the players from this type of nonsense. The term “repeat offender” has meant very little in hearings up to this point, so a three game suspension is much better than the usual get-out-of-jail-free card Wilson so often plays.