Tom Wilson Suspended Seven Games

Tom Wilson has been suspended for seven games for boarding Boston’s Brandon Carlo, the Department of Player Safety announced tonight. Seven games is one eighth of this abbreviated 56-game season (equivalent to 10.25 games in a regular 82-game season). Wilson also forfeits $311,781.61 in salary for the suspension under the CBA and based on his average annual salary; the money will go to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.

Here is the official release from the league:

Tom Wilson was suspended seven games by the NHL Department of Player Safety on Saturday and, pending an appeal, will not play for the Washington Capitals against the Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday (7 p.m. ET; NBCSP, NBCSWA, NHL.TV).

It is the fifth suspension for the forward since September 2017, his first since the start of the 2018-19 season.

Wilson is being suspended for boarding Boston Bruins defenseman Brandon Carlo on Friday. The incident occurred at 18:27 of the first period of Washington’s 5-1 loss at TD Garden.

Wilson did not receive a penalty. Carlo left the game and was hospitalized for an upper-body injury; he was released Saturday.

Wilson previously was suspended two preseason games for interference against St. Louis Blues forward Robert Thomas during a preseason game Sept. 22, 2017; four regular-season games for boarding Blues forward Sammy Blais during a preseason game Oct. 1, 2017; three Stanley Cup Playoff games for an illegal check to the head of Pittsburgh Penguins forward Zach Aston-Reese in a playoff game May 1, 2018; and 20 regular-season games for an illegal check to the head of Blues forward Oskar Sundqvist in a preseason game Sept. 20, 2018.

The 20-game suspension was reduced to 14 games by a neutral arbitrator, and Wilson missed the first 16 games of that season.

Wilson would be eligible to return March 20 against the New York Rangers.

And here is the video decision and explanation from the DoPS:

A key quote from the video: “While there are aspects of this hit that may skirt the line between suspendable and not suspendable, it is the totality of the circumstances that cause this play to merit supplemental discipline.”

Wilson has the right to appeal within 48 hours with the commissioner. Additionally, because the suspension is more than six games he has the right to appeal to an independent arbitrator after an appeal to the commissioner.

We will continue to update this story as more information becomes available.