Washington Capitals: Tom Wilson Example of NHL’s Hitting Predicament

Does the Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson need to change the way he plays, or is this a deeper issue for the NHL and the way it treats physicality?

The Washington Capitals recently signed forward Tom Wilson to a long-term contract worth $5.17 million per year for six years. The hard-hitting winger spent most of this past season on the first line with Alex Ovechkin and Evgeny Kuznetsov, posting 15 points in 21 playoff games.

Naturally, the news of this signing has met mixed reactions. Whereas many Capitals fans are excited to have a fan-favorite back, outside analysts and fans have questioned the move, claiming that Wilson’s production to date does not justify the amount of money he will be paid.

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Capitals fans have responded by arguing that Wilson’s value cannot be measured in points, due to the physicality he brings to the table and his unique skill set.

It really cannot be overstated how important his physicality is to the Capitals. Wilson was a perfect fit on the top line with Ovechkin and Kuznetsov during these last playoffs, opening up time and space for his supremely skilled linemates.

However, Wilson’s physicality has led to his earning a reputation as a dirty player. He was suspended multiple times this year, including for three games during Washington’s series with Pittsburgh, after a high hit left Zach Aston-Reese unable to eat solid food for months.

Wilson himself admitted that he may need to change the way he plays in order to avoid suspensions in the future:

"“I think it would be stubborn on my part not to admit that the game is changing,” he said. “There is definitely an eye on that part, the physical part of the game in the NHL right now. I want to be contributing. I want to be a part of the success of the group. If I’m not going to adapt and change with the times, I’m not going to be able to do that.”"

While it is great that he recognizes the need for him to adapt, these comments raise some concern. As detailed above, his physicality is integral to his and to the Washington Capitals’ game. Can he play at a high level if he is preventing himself from playing the way he knows how to?

On the other hand, if Wilson does not change his style, the suspensions will only be coming more frequently and with more impact. He has a history now with the Department of Player Safety, meaning even borderline hits, like the Aston-Reese one, will lead to major punishments.

Therein lies the crux of the Wilson problem – most of his controversial hits are not blatantly dirty. They tend to be arguably legal under the current rules, although few of them can be called safe.

Take the Aston-Reese hit, for example. After the game, Mike Milbury pointed out that, since Wilson’s skate was on the ground and he appeared to hit the shoulder, it may have been clean:

While Wilson was eventually suspended for this hit, the fact that there was even an argument to be made that it was legal reflects how Wilson tends to toe the line more often than he steps over it.

However, what if this hit was compared to a similar one for which he was not suspended? Let us take a look at his devastating check on Lubomir Visnovsky from 2015, for which Wilson was not suspended:

This is a very similar hit to the Aston-Reese one. Wilson’s feet are on the ground at the point of contact, he explodes up, the target is smaller than him, and the brunt of the hit is to the head.

Again, on paper, both of these hits can be defended as legal. But should they be? Obviously, regardless of the punishment Wilson received, these were incredibly unsafe hits resulting in injury: a concussion for Visnovsky and a broken jaw for Aston-Reese.

It is unfair to both Tom Wilson and to the Washington Capitals that this gray area exists. As long as dangerous hits are legal, players will throw them, and it is hypocritical to hold them accountable for doing so.

So what is the solution for the NHL? On the surface, the answers do not look very appetizing. Banning all head contact seems logical, but puts taller players like Wilson at a significant disadvantage.

Perhaps the NHL could ban all hits that are not led with the hip. This way, while injuries would still be unavoidable, the chances of life-altering injuries such as concussions would be minimized. Plus, there would be no disadvantage based on height.

However, considering how ingrained in the sport’s physicality is, not to mention how the rulebook goes out the window in the playoffs, this would be an inordinately difficult rule to implement and enforce. Wilson would likely be suspended many more times, and adapting would be tougher.

This is not even considering how the fans of the Washington Capitals and other NHL teams would react to such a decision. Fighting and hitting, two of the most controversial issues in the game, are still beloved by the majority of the fanbase.

This is an extremely complex issue, one that is made all the more complicated from the lack of a rational solution. Yet, unless an answer is reached, the Washington Capitals and Tom Wilson will continue to find themselves, perhaps unjustifiably, on the wrong side of the league.

The fans can only hope this issue can find a fix, and soon.