NHL clears Tom Wilson in hit that injured Panthers forward

The NHL's Department of Player Safety will not add any further punishment for Tom Wilson's boarding major on Florida forward Sandis Vilmanis. The league never called a hearing, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported Sunday morning. Read more: NHL clears Tom Wilson in hit that injured Panthers forward

That hit sent the Capitals winger out of the game in the first period of Saturday's 4-3 win over the Panthers.

Officials gave Wilson a five-minute major for boarding and a game misconduct 8:55 into the first period. He drove Vilmanis from behind into the area where the boards meet the glass, sending him head-first into the wall. The ejection then left the Capitals to play the final 51 minutes without one of their most physical forwards.

Vilmanis left the game and did not return. Panthers coach Paul Maurice also said Vilmanis would need further medical evaluation and imaging before the team could define the injury. In fact, Vilmanis, 22, had scored his first career two-goal game three days earlier in a win over Chicago.

Maurice still declined to assess the legality of the hit itself. "I'll leave that to the Department of Player Safety," he said. "That's their job."

Related: Behind the glass: Capitals 4, Panthers 3 — Not in our house! Caps beat the Cats to end the home skid

Wilson's long disciplinary record

The NHL has suspended Tom Wilson six times in his career. His most recent ban came in 2024, six games for high-sticking Toronto's Noah Gregor. The league reduced a 20-game suspension from 2018 to 14 games on appeal.

Capitals coach Spencer Carbery defended Saturday's hit. He said Wilson was already committed to the play before Vilmanis spun toward the boards. That kind of wall-play spin, Carbery said, is usually harmless, but Wilson is a big, strong player.

Related: Capitals erase 2-1 deficit to beat Panthers

The Capitals expect Wilson in the lineup Tuesday when they play at Ottawa, their first game since Saturday's win over Florida. They then continue the road trip Thursday at New Jersey before returning home to host the Devils on Saturday.