Paul Stewart: Wilson Needs to Make a Decision.... or NHL Needs to Make It for Him

Spot on Stewie!! I am almost always in agreement with you, and this one is no exception. 15-20 games should get his attention. If he pulls this crap again, half a season, then a year ban. This from a guy who loves hard nosed hockey.

All the best to your son as well!

Too bad that the players themselves don't value their own health and well-being enough to take action when it's warranted.

Player union has absolute power to dictate terms of player censure. If they are not getting good advice, or following same, it's their own fault.

I stopped worrying about NHL player health a long time ago...as a group, they simply don't deserve outsider sympathy, they make their own beds and sleep in same.

Whatever.

I still very much like and appreciate your viewpoints though.

NHL needs a "Wilson Rule"

3 suspensions over any 100 games played period makes qualifies you as a serial offender.

Serial offenders have a minimum for all subsequent suspensions.
(Number of suspensions in previous 400 games) : (Minimum supension)
3: 10 games
4: 20 games
5: 40 games
6: 80 games.

Too bad that the players themselves don't value their own health and well-being enough to take action when it's warranted.

Player union has absolute power to dictate terms of player censure. If they are not getting good advice, or following same, it's their own fault.

I stopped worrying about NHL player health a long time ago...as a group, they simply don't deserve outsider sympathy, they make their own beds and sleep in same.

Whatever.

I still very much like and appreciate your viewpoints though.
- eramosat

They need to fold the next generation of players into the NHLPAs decision making process. Right now the players that are Pro, are pro because of the current terms. If you asked the best players from the next 3 draft classes what kind of league they wanted to enter, I'de bet my ass player safety would bubble to the top.

Agree 100% Stewie. This probably applies to a few other NHLers, too (Gudas, etc.). In order to encourage better coaching of these goons, I think the NHL should also penalize their teams: when they're suspended, the team cannot replace them on the active roster and must play games with only 22 players. Your thoughts?

If the League won't punish Wilson accordingly, then the players need to take matters into their own hands. Maybe someone should make him watch the video of Claude Lemieux getting beatdown for his dirty play at the hands of Darren McCarty. Where is a modern day McCarty when you need one?

If I was a coach, and Wilson hurt one of my players like that, I would put a bounty on his head.

I think this type of "Player" is not long for the League, the game has changed drastically over the past 3 years, it just will take some time for the "Wilson Player Type" to change as well, I mean really there aren't many left like him in the league that get actual playing time.

If the League won't punish Wilson accordingly, then the players need to take matters into their own hands. Maybe someone should make him watch the video of Claude Lemieux getting beatdown for his dirty play at the hands of Darren McCarty. Where is a modern day McCarty when you need one?

If I was a coach, and Wilson hurt one of my players like that, I would put a bounty on his head.
- GalacticStone

The players could if they would get rid that instigator rule

The players could if they would get rid that instigator rule
- lastmanback

As a coach, I would pay the instigator's fine and lost salary out of my own pocket. If that isn't legal under the league rules, then I would get around that by purchasing his dinner every night for the next several years until it's paid off.

Bring me Wilson's head on a stick...

As a coach, I would pay the instigator's fine and lost salary out of my own pocket. If that isn't legal under the league rules, then I would get around that by purchasing his dinner every night for the next several years until it's paid off.

Bring me Wilson's head on a stick...
- GalacticStone

Yes, punching his face a half dozen times (assuming he doesn't beat you up) is totally going to stop him. If you wanted to send a message, you have your guy demolish Ovechkin or Backstrom.

Now, a 20 game suspension, on the other hand...

Yes, punching his face a half dozen times (assuming he doesn't beat you up) is totally going to stop him. If you wanted to send a message, you have your guy demolish Ovechkin or Backstrom.

Now, a 20 game suspension, on the other hand...
- jmatchett383

It's a start, that ~$1.25M fine is going to smart more than the missed time, should still be longer.

Holy Smokes! They threw the book at him.

This is in a small part due to 'Hockey Moms'... With all the information available about concussions, more and more parents are keeping their kids away from contact sports Why do you think the NFL had games in Mexico? They need to increase the pool of available talent.

Parents want to know that head hits are taken out of the league or they'll choose golf and tennis.

Holy Smokes! They threw the book at him.

This is in a small part due to 'Hockey Moms'... With all the information available about concussions, more and more parents are keeping their kids away from contact sports Why do you think the NFL had games in Mexico? They need to increase the pool of available talent.

Parents want to know that head hits are taken out of the league or they'll choose golf and tennis.
- OrrFour

The NFL has been having games in Mexico since at least 2005.

Do you think lots of Englishmen are going to pick up football? They have at least one game in England every year.

Edit: 12 games in Mexico since 1968. 14 in Japan.

The players could if they would get rid that instigator rule
- lastmanback

I think the main thing that has killed fighting in general in the league is the mandatory visor rule. No one wants to risk breaking his hand on another guy's visor and be out for a month.

Truthfully, however, there are not any "old-school" fighters left who could give Wilson the beating he deserves even if there were not visors. Players like Reaves and Oleksiak could likely take him in a fight any given day but they would not deliver the pounding that a Boogaard, a McCarty, or a Probert would have. And of course, he skated away from Oleksiak in the playoffs last season too.

And to jmatchett383's point, targeting Wilson's team's star players typically only works if your team does not have star players as well. For example, if a Pens' player took out Ovi with a cheapshot then they would likely be going after Crosby next (not that they haven't done that in the past, unprovoked).

Having said that, this approach did work in the 1992 playoffs when the Rangers were constantly going after Lemieux with cheapshots, including Adam Graves breaking his wrist. Rick Tocchet eventually had enough and went up to Messier and told him "the next time someone goes after Mario I am coming after you!" Needless to say, Lemieux was not bothered anymore . Tocchet became my best friend's favorite player after that (we were in eighth grade at the time). This is still a risky thing to do, though.

I'll tell you when it stops, when a player injured to the point of being unable to play and make a living sues the league for millions and it comes out of the owners and players pockets, watch how quick it stops.

Great article Paul!

The new Capitals coach didn't look upset by the hit. Looked more like the normal 'back up my player and argue with the ref' response in the video.

Wilson doing this in a meaningless preseason game just shows that this is the way he likes to play. It's not like there is anything on the line or he's try to make the team. It's just blatant disregard for player safety.

If the League won't punish Wilson accordingly, then the players need to take matters into their own hands. Maybe someone should make him watch the video of Claude Lemieux getting beatdown for his dirty play at the hands of Darren McCarty. Where is a modern day McCarty when you need one?

If I was a coach, and Wilson hurt one of my players like that, I would put a bounty on his head.
- GalacticStone

We could all end up in the clinker for this. You can't just go and put a bounty on a man's head.

2 things...

Wilson is just dumb.
or
He believes everyone else is.

He has learned not a thing from previous hits or simply doesn’t cares & lies his ass off to cover up.
Proclaiming he is only finishing off hits is not credible. He’s dumb.
Inability to go body on body instead of always high hits says he’s malicious & out to injure. Lies his ass off.
He’s a neanderthal that doesn’t belong in the league & his team or the NHLPA think otherwise then they either condone his actions or have him get his act together yesterday.

2 things...

Wilson is just dumb.
or
He believes everyone else is.

He has learned not a thing from previous hits or simply doesn’t cares & lies his ass off to cover up.
Proclaiming he is only finishing off hits is not credible. He’s dumb.
Inability to go body on body instead of always high hits says he’s malicious & out to injure. Lies his ass off.
He’s a neanderthal that doesn’t belong in the league & his team or the NHLPA think otherwise then they either condone his actions or have him get his act together yesterday.
- Nighthawk

Well the PA is fine with it, they filed an appeal today.