Tom Wilson was suspended during the preseason by the Department of Player Safety for for an illegal hit to the head of Blues forward Oskar Sundqvist. The length of the suspension was 20 regular-season games.
Wilson will appeal the suspension on Thursday in a hearing with the NHL commissioner Gary Bettman.
Bettman has the authority to shorten or dismiss the suspension, but not lengthen it. Per the terms of the CBA, if Wilson is unsatisfied with the Commissioner’s decision, he can appeal to a neutral arbitrator.
Recently, the NHL’s arbitrator, Shyam Das, reduced the length of suspension for Predators forward Austin Watson. That case was regarding a domestic violence situation, and Das’s decision has been widely criticized.
There can be no appeal to the arbitrator’s decision by any parties.
The arbitrator can be removed from his position, but in Das’s case, that would not take effect until January of 2019 and will not affect the ruling on Wilson’s case.
According to Blues reporter Jim Thomas, Oscar Sundqvist remains on IR with shoulder issues and concussion symptoms.
Headline photo: Bruce Bennett
