Tom Wilson offered his perspective on the hit he threw that got him ejected from Saturday’s Capitals-Panthers game and left forward Sandis Vilmanis injured.
The Capitals’ alternate captain was assessed a five-minute major for boarding and a game misconduct after sending Vilmanis hard into the boards during the first period of Washington’s 4-3 win over Florida. Vilmanis turned his body just before the collision, and the hit sent him awkwardly face-first into the end boards.
Speaking to RMNB’s Katie Adler after practice Monday, Wilson said he was committed to finishing his check and didn’t anticipate Vilmanis’ change in body positioning would result in such a dangerous collision.
“Yeah, I think things happen quickly,” Wilson said. “You know, I see him kind of look at me, and I committed to finish a check, and then he turns his body positioning away from me and doesn’t really brace for the contact, and I didn’t even – when I was coming into the hit, I didn’t think the boards were really even going to be in play.
“I was trying to make a north-south hit towards my own end, and then his body positioning changes and he falls into the boards. It happens quickly in our game, and I wasn’t really expecting him to bounce off me that way. Hopefully, he’s all good.”
Tom Wilson hits and injures Sandis Vilmanis
Following the hit, Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery also pointed to Vilmanis turning at the last second. “He turns, and Willy’s committed to making contact,” Carbery said.
Panthers head coach Paul Maurice declined to offer much of an opinion on the incident, saying he would leave the matter to the NHL’s Department of Player Safety. The league ultimately decided not to hand Wilson any supplemental discipline.
Wilson added that he also reached out to players in Florida’s locker room after the game to check on Vilmanis.
“I spoke to a couple guys that I know well in their room and just kind of said, ‘I hope he’s good, wish him well,’ and they gave me some response,” Wilson said. “I’m not going to get into those details, but hopefully he’s good. You never want to see a guy leave a game or be injured, so wishing him the best, and we’ll move on.”
Vilmanis did not play in Florida’s 4-1 loss to the Boston Bruins on Sunday. The Panthers wrap up their three-game road trip on Tuesday night against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
