Tom Wilson suspended six games

The NHL Department of Player Safety has announced that Tom Wilson has been suspended for six games for his high sticking on Toronto Maple Leafs forward Noah Gregor in a game the Washington Capitals would lose 7-3 on home ice. The play came in the third period.

The video calls Wilson's stick swing an "exteremly reckless" fashion despite the body check being legal and Wilson getting a penalty on the play. Though it did hit Gregor's face and Wilson didn't mean to according to Gregor to Toronto media at Leafs practice.

But when a crime is comitted you do the time so Wilson will be ruled out tonight against the Carolina Hurricanes, Sunday against the Winnipeg Jets, Tuesday against the Detroit Red Wings, Thursday at the Toronto Maple Leafs, Saturday against the Boston Bruins, and April 2nd at the Buffalo Sabres.

Wilson will be eligible to return on Thursday April 4 in the Caps final meeting with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The Caps had to make a call up to Hershey ahead of this news as well as the absense of T.J. Oshie and Aliaksei Protas due to injuries. Oshie has an upper body ailment while Protas is out with a lower body injury. Matthew Phillips joins the Caps in Wilson's absence.

Darcy Kuemper will get the nod in goal tonight against the Hurricanes. The Caps top six the other night consisted of Alex Ovechkin, Connor McMichael, and Mike Sgarbossa up top.

On the second line was Ivan Miroshnichenko, Dylan Strome, and Tom Wilson. Perhaps Phillips takes that spot there. On the third line is Max Pacioretty, Hendrix Lapierre, and Sonny Milano, the fourth is Beck Malenstyn, Nic Dowd, and Nicolas Aube Kubel.

On defense was Martin Fehervary and John Carlson, Rasmus Sandin and Nick Jensen on the second and Alex Alexeyev and Trevor van Riemsdyk on the third.