Let’s talk about Tom Wilson

We can talk about the New York Rangers being eliminated from the playoffs for the fourth straight year.  We can talk about their third loss in a row.  We can talk about the good we saw from the rookies on the team or about the egregious mistake made by the most veteran player on the team.  We can talk about a lot of things related to this 6-3 loss to the Capitals, but what needs to be talked about is Tom Wilson.

To put is simply, Tom Wilson is a thug.  He is an irrational man who cannot maintain any level of self control. He is dangerous. He is violent.  And his behavior is condoned and permitted by the National Hockey League.

One of these days, Tom Wilson is going to cause permanent damage to a hockey player and then will be banned for life and probably face criminal charges, similar to what happened to Todd Bertuzzi for his attack on Steve Moore in 2004.  The fact that we are even talking about this possibility is an indictment of the NHL.

Here is the whole play, beginning to end.  It’s five minute long, but worth watching in its entirety.

Wilson was already angry after taking a roughing penalty a minute into the second period.  All he did was grab Adam Fox by the head as he skated by.  Wilson complained about the penalty and was incensed when the Rangers scored on the subsequent power play.

An angry Tom Wilson is an irrational Tom Wilson and that is a problem for the NHL.

The penalties

When everything was settled, here were the penalties.  Tom Wilson got a double minor for roughing.  Brenden Dillon got a two minute minor roughing.  Pavel Buchnevich and Artemi Panarin both got two minutes for roughing.  Wilson got an additional 10 minute minsconduct.

So, the extent of the penalties was an additional two minute minor penalty and a trip to the locker room. Wilson came back and scored an empty net goal.

The injuries

The possibilities for injuries were numerous.  Wilson forced Buchnevich’s head into the ice while his stick was under the Rangers’ neck. He then punched the prone Buchnevich in the head.  He rag dolled Artemi Panarin and punched him when he was down.

Panarin never returned after his penalty expired with what was described as a lower body injury.  So, the Rangers lost their best player for the rest of the game and the Capitals lost Tom Wilson for ten minutes.

Some facts you should know.  Tom Wilson is 6’4″, 220 pounds.   Artemi Panarin is 5’11”, 168 pounds.   That’s a five inch height and 52 pounds weight advantage.