Capitals’ Tom Wilson offered in-person hearing by Department of Player Safety for high-sticking

It has been a while, but Tom Wilson is back in the news for a questionable play.

On Thursday, the National Hockey League’s Department of Player Safety announced that the Washington Capitals forward has been offered an in-person hearing for high-sticking Toronto Maple Leafs’ forward Noah Gregor.

The incident occurred during the third period of Wednesday night’s game between the Capitals and Maple Leafs. While battling with Gregor in the Washington zone, Wilson carelessly swung his stick, catching Gregor in the face.

Wilson was assessed a double-minor penalty on the play, in which John Tavares scored the clinching goal in a 7-3 win for Toronto.

The Department of Player Safety says the hearing will take place Friday afternoon over Zoom. Since it will be “in-person,” Wilson can be suspended for more than five games.

This is obviously not the first time Wilson has been the subject of supplemental discipline. Since breaking into the NHL in 2013, the Toronto native has been suspended five times, including three times during the 2017-18 season, getting banned for three games in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Wilson was infamously suspended for 20 games during the 2018 preseason for a dirty hit on Oskar Sundqvist. The suspension was eventually reduced to 14 games. It was the last time the league either fined or suspended him.

Wilson has been separately fined three times as well.

So far this season, Wilson has scored 17 goals and 15 assists in 66 games. In 746 career games, the 29-year-old has registered 145 goals and 182 assists, including 31 points in 83 playoff games.

The Capitals (33-26-9) are battling for their playoff lives. They are currently one point back of the Detroit Red Wings for the last Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference, and three behind the Philadelphia Flyers for third in the Metropolitan Division.