Tom Wilson is one of the more polarizing players in the league. He's a talent player and can produce offensively, but he's also a beast physically and can cross the line from time to time. After finishing a check on Noah Gregor, Wilson lost control and swung his stick hard directly into Gregor's face. Wilson was assessed a four minute penalty for the play.
Despite it being a really bad high stick, it didn't appear to be entirely intentional from Wilson. He immediately almost put his arms around Gregor, almost to check on him, but it's also clear in the video that he does jerk his arm to swing the stick. Even if it wasn't intentional, it's horrific play by Wilson and the onus is always on the player to control their stick.
Being one of the worst high sticks in recent memory, many fans are calling for a suspension or a fine for Wilson.
Despite Wilson's reputation as a physical player and a borderline dirty one, he actually doesn't have a long history with the Department of Player Safety. Given that history goes a long way in determining action from Player Safety, that will reduce Wilson's chances of facing any penalty.
Do you think it was intentional and deserves a suspension? Let us know in the poll below!
POLL | ||
Was Wilson's high stick intentional and does it deserve action from Player Safety? | ||
Intentional, needs fine or suspension | 329 | 79.5 % |
Intentional, just a penalty is fine | 29 | 7 % |
Not intentional, just a penalty | 56 | 13.5 % |
List of polls |