Right wing Tom Wilson of the Washington Capitals is facing potential discipline for his hit on Boston Bruins defenseman Brandon Carlo.
The NHL Department of Player Safety announced Saturday that Wilson has been asked to participate in a hearing via Zoom at a time still to be determined. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, hearings have been held by phone, and ESPN said the offer for a face-to-face hearing indicated Wilson could be looking at a suspension of six or more games.
The incident occurred Friday night with about 90 seconds left in the first period of Boston’s 5-1 home win. Carlo was fighting for the puck in a corner when Wilson skated toward him and lifted his right elbow, hitting Carlo in the head. Carlo’s head smashed into the glass, and he fell to the ice and remained there, eventually skating off under his own power.
Wilson wasn’t penalized on the play, but Carlo was taken to the hospital by ambulance. The Bruins had not updated his condition as of Saturday morning.
Related: NHL games today – 2022 NHL offseason calendar, NHL Draft, free agency
After the game, Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said he didn’t know whether Carlo had sustained a concussion, but he had plenty else to say.
“It’s a fast game, they play hard, we play hard,” Cassidy said. “But you could see it. He hit him clearly in the head …defenseless player, predatory hit from a player that’s done that before. I don’t understand why there wasn’t a penalty called on the ice. They huddled up, but I did not get an explanation why. It’s out of our hands after that.”
Wilson, 26, is one of the most penalized players in the NHL. With 1,052 penalty minutes in his eight-year career, Wilson is 10th on the list for penalty minutes among active players.
Each of the players on the list ahead of him have been in the league at least five years longer than Wilson.
–Field Level Media