The Washington Capitals received surprising news on Sunday, as forward Tom Wilson will reportedly avoid further NHL discipline following his controversial hit on Florida Panthers defenseman Sandis Vilmanis.
After receiving a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct for boarding in Saturday’s 4-3 win over Florida, Wilson seemed likely to face additional punishment.
However, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported Sunday morning that Wilson will not face added discipline for the play.
The news comes as a surprise to most fans, with the Caps catching a break as they gear up for a challenging week.
Wilson Avoiding Suspension Comes as Surprise
It is no secret that Tom Wilson has faced discipline in the past, building a reputation as the Caps’ “bad boy” over his tenure.
With a 20-game suspension in 2018, later reduced to 14 games on appeal, a seven-game suspension in 2021, and a six-game suspension as recently as 2024, Wilson doesn’t hold the best track record with the NHL’s Department of Player Safety.
However, this time around, Wilson escaped with no further punishment and should be right back in action on Tuesday night against the Senators.
The Panthers are still awaiting an update on Sandis Vilmanis, who just notched his first career two-goal game on Wednesday against Chicago.
When asked for an update following Saturday’s game, Panthers head coach Paul Maurice shared that they were still waiting on any definitive news.
“Getting looked at by another doctor,” Maurice said Saturday. “But probably we’ll have to wait until we get him back to see our guys before we have a real good idea, get some imaging.”
Capitals Week Ahead
Nonetheless, with Wilson set to continue playing, Washington gears up for another important week, starting in Ottawa Tuesday before facing the Devils in back-to-back matchups to wrap up the week.
Starting in Ottawa on Tuesday, the Senators currently sit 11-6-1 on the year and will face the Caps in their first of three games this season.
The Caps and Ottawa have been tightly matched over the last few years, with the Capitals garnering a 4-3-3 record in their last 10 against the Senators.
Following that matchup, the Caps will travel to New Jersey, where they will face off against the Devils on Thursday, then again at home on Saturday.
Currently sitting below the Devils in the standings, the week provides a great chance for the Caps to build momentum off their Saturday win.
With Wilson reportedly avoiding further discipline from the NHL’s Department of Player Safety, he will be ready alongside the Caps to help them climb the Metro standings, most likely skating a little calmer for a couple of games.
Capitals’ Tom Wilson Avoids Suspension After Controversial Hit