Capitals' Tom Wilson suspended six games in sixth NHL suspension

Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson will sit out six games in the sixth suspension of his NHL career, and it comes at a bad time for his team.

The NHL's Department of Player Safety handed down the ban on Friday after Wilson received a double-minor penalty for swinging his stick and hitting the Toronto Maple Leafs' Noah Gregor in the face at 12:15 of the third period during Wednesday's 7-3 loss. Gregor told reporters Friday that he suffered some damage to his teeth.

"While we acknowledge Wilson’s assertion that he did not mean to hit Gregor in the face, the fact remains that Wilson’s stick is drawn back behind him, then swung forcefully and recklessly into his opponent," the department said in its suspension video.

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Wilson will forfeit $161,458.32 in pay and the suspension is also potentially costly for the Capitals. By the time he is eligible to return on April 4, the Capitals will have eight games left. He is fourth on the team with 17 goals.

The Capitals managed to beat the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday night without Wilson and injured T.J. Oshie and Aliaksei Protas. They trail the Detroit Red Wings by one point in the race for the second wild-card spot and are two points behind the third-place Philadelphia Flyers in the Metropolitan Division.

Wilson has a history with the league, which factored into the length of the suspension. He has been suspended five times previously, including once for 20 games (reduced to 14 games after an appeal to an independent arbitrator) for an illegal check to the head. Before Friday, his last suspension was seven games for boarding in 2021.

After that suspension and also after the 20-gamer, he said he would have to change his approach to the game. And other than a $5,000 fine for roughing later in the 2020-21 season that led to a brawl in that game and a fight-filled next meeting between the Capitals and New York Rangers, he has a clean record.

He has been named to the All-Star Game twice and signed a seven-year contract extension.

Wilson can appeal to commissioner Gary Bettman, who has upheld previous suspensions this season, and then an independent arbitrator.

There have been two other in-person hearings this season, resulting in a six-game suspension for Detroit's David Perron and five games for Toronto's Morgan Rielly.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Capitals' Tom Wilson suspended six games for high-sticking