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During last night’s game, Capitals forward Tom Wilson received the ire of the Rangers, the NHL, and all of (non-Capitals) social media last night for this controversial punch of Pavel Buchnevich and later altercation with Artemi Panarin:
Tom Wilson gets a 10-minute misconduct for punching Buchnevich in the head on the ground and body slamming Panarin pic.twitter.com/fg2HRej8yD
— Brady Trettenero (@BradyTrett) May 4, 2021
Some of the opinions about this were relatively measured. Others, however, were a bit more on the extreme side:
Tom Wilson is a psychopath. This time is the last time. Ban him for life, arrest him #Capitals #Psycho pic.twitter.com/nxslWXbuOO
— Keith Olbermann (@KeithOlbermann) May 4, 2021
However, the NHLPA decided to go in a different direction. Although Tom Wilson will not go to jail, he’s going to be subject to a $5,000 fine, the maximum possible fine allowed by the NHL collective bargaining agreement. There will be no suspension for Wilson:
Washington’s Tom Wilson has been fined $5,000, the maximum allowable under the CBA, for Roughing NY Rangers’ Pavel Buchnevich.
— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) May 4, 2021
Although controversial, ESPN’s Emily Kaplan elaborated on the NHL Department of Player Safety’s likely rational in the non-suspension of Wilson:
I understand why people are upset/confused over no suspension for Tom Wilson, but here's how the Department of Player Safety saw it..
— Emily Kaplan (@emilymkaplan) May 4, 2021
-The "fall" on Buchnevich isn't much.
-The punch is what Wilson got fined for.
-Everything after? Two guys wrestling, which happens every night. https://t.co/t2HeFFLYPd
The Capitals play the Rangers again on Wednesday, likely with Tom Wilson in the lineup.