By Ben Krimmel
Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby is no fan of Tom Wilson or his illegal hits.
“There’s really no reason to continue to hit like that,” Crosby told reporters on Monday.
“You also understand there are instances where guys get hit and it’s part of the game. It happens fast and it’s intense out there,” Crosby said. “When a guy does it a handful of times, you start to question what the intent is.”
Wilson, who received a match penalty for an
illegal check to the head of St. Louis forward Oskar Sundqvist in the preseason finale, will have an in-person hearing with the NHL’s Department of Player Safety in New York on Wednesday. Wilson will likely miss the Capitals' season opener and Thursday's game in Pittsburgh.
Sidney Crosby on Tom Wilson's hit and suspension: “We talk about this a lot with him. He still chooses to make those hits. I’m sure the league is well-aware of that.” pic.twitter.com/z4cSl5xc9S
— Andrew Rush (@andrewrush)
October 1, 2018 This is not the first Wilson has been disciplined by the league. Last season, a preseason hit on Blues' forward Sammy Blais triggered a suspension that saw Wilson miss the first four regular season games, and a hit on the Penguins' Zach Aston-Reese resulted in a three-game suspension during the playoffs.
Here’s a look at #stlblues Oskar Sundqvist’s facial damage today from Tom Wilson hit on Sunday night. (Credit @jthom1) pic.twitter.com/njT2379ZFV
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli)
October 1, 2018 Crosby, who has missed significant playing time during his career due to concussions, thinks the league has been relatively successful in its attempt to reduce the number of hits to the head with some exceptions.
"I think guys are pretty aware now. I don’t think there’s as many as there used to be,"
Crosby said. "For the most part, I think guys are pretty aware of what’s legal and what’s not.”
As for Washington's Wilson?
“I think this is kind of a unique situation where you got someone who continues to do it,” Crosby said. “I’m just pointing out the obvious. That’s all I’m doing.”
