Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson has been suspended 20 games by the league for his check to the head of Blues forward Oskar Sundqvist on Sunday.
The department of player safety said in a video that Wilson’s hit was illegal, it caused injury, and Wilson is a repeat offender — all factors that led to the 20-game ban.
“This is Wilson’s fourth suspension in his last 105 games, an unprecedented frequency of suspensions in the history of the department of player safety,” the department said.
Wilson, who plays on Washington’s top line alongside Alex Ovechkin, was suspended on three occasions last season. That includes a three-game suspension in the second round of the playoffs against the Pittsburgh Penguins for an illegal hit on Penguins forward Zach Aston-Reese. On the play, Aston-Reese was concussed and also suffered a broken jaw.
Last season, Wilson was also suspended for two preseason games for a hit to Blues forward Robert Thomas and four regular-season games for a check to Blues defenseman Sammy Blais.
Wilson was ejected from Sunday’s preseason game against the Blues for the hit, which left Sundqvist motionless on the ice. He had to be helped off.