Tim Benz: Deconstructing moronic arguments against Wilson's suspension

Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson was suspended for three games as a result of his hit on Penguins winger Zach Aston-Reese during Game 3 of their series Tuesday.

The NHL Department of Player safety issued this video explaining why.

It seemed pretty clear to me. Yet those backing Wilson are still having a hard time understanding why he's been shelved.

I dont think Tom Wilson should have been suspended at all. A game? I can see it. Two games? A bit excessive. Three games? Get out of here with that nonsense.

— Grant Paulsen (@granthpaulsen) May 2, 2018

I sympathize with Tom Wilson. No player should be suspended for playing physical hockey. He hits hard and finishes a hit therefore jaws can break. Players know the risk of getting on the ice #keepyourheadup

— animal (@_Davis_Ice) May 2, 2018

Somebody tell Sully it's a contact sport. Guy was skating with his head down and got hit. The amount of whining in Pittsburgh is ridiculous. Two time defending champs SEARCHING desperately for an edge. Total joke. https://t.co/mcR6aaebwO

— Taylor Davis (@Mooser41) May 2, 2018

Tom Wilson had a clean hit. Shoulder to shoulder contact first, opponent head was down. That's not Wilson fault. He did come off ice, but it look like from the impact not intentional. 3 games is way over the top. 3 playoff games is like 9 regular season games. @Wes_Herrm @Jeremy_ pic.twitter.com/XOWRCZ7X5u

— Stavy Karassvas (@SKarasavas) May 3, 2018

Tom Wilson got suspended for being bigger and stronger than that Pens' player who thought he could take him on full speed Way to go @NHLPlayerSafety #ALLCAPS

— DC Sports Experience (@SportsTalkDC) May 2, 2018

This narrative that Wilson shouldn't have been suspended just has to stop. So let's deconstruct the moronic arguments against the suspension.

'It was a clean hit!'

No. It wasn't. The video just gave you multiple reasons why it wasn't a clean hit. He was suspended because, well, it wasn't a clean hit.

Just because it wasn't penalized on-ice, that doesn't make it "clean." It's just like sometimes hits that are penalties aren't "dirty," they just happen to be illegal.

This hit was dirty. It was also illegal. The officials just decided not to call it.

'He's only suspended because the league loves the Penguins!'

Really? Then why wasn't Wilson already suspended for taking out Brian Dumoulin on Sunday?

And if the league loves the Penguins, why didn't they get the goalie interference challenge in their favor during Game 2? Or the Patric Hornqvist goal overturned to actually count?

If the league "loves the Penguins," it's had a funny way of showing it in this series.

'The primary point of contact was shoulder to shoulder!'

It was. But it was also shoulder to chin at the same time.

Out of one corners of their mouths, Washington fans argue that Wilson's size should be taken into the equation. They say that since Wilson is so much bigger than Aston-Reese, the NHL needs to consider that's why the hit was so hard.

But then they are intellectually dishonest when they ignore that the bigger Wilson — with a bigger body that is rising up as he begins to leap — also catches Aston-Reese right in the jaw up top at the same time as he is catching Reese's shoulder a bit lower.

It's obvious here.

'They only did this because it's Tom Wilson!'

Well, I wouldn't say "only." But, yeah. What's your point? Based on his past, this was overdue. That's why Matt Cooke got 17 games here in Pittsburgh, too.

'They only did this because Zach Aston-Reese got hurt!'

And Mike Sullivan pointed it out.

Again, I wouldn't say "only." But, yeah. Aston-Reese's significant injury was a factor. The league said as much.

That's not a secret, nor should it be a complaint. If you knock a guy out of the series, shouldn't there be more of a penalty?

Yes, there should. The NHL and players' association agreed to as much in the CBA.

If I speed in my car, that's a small fine. If I speed through a school zone and run into a bus of elementary school kids, that's a bigger fine.

This is pretty basic stuff, people.

Why shouldn't Sullivan point it out, by the way? He stayed quiet after the Dumoulin hit, and look how that worked out.

'It would've been only 1 game if Wilson wasn't caught laughing!'

Maybe.

Although, if I give you this little conspiracy theory, you give me one, too.

How about this: He got one game for the hit. One game because he looked bad laughing on the bench. And the third game because he could've ... maybe ... probably ... got an off-the-record, behind-closed-doors, third-party warning after the Dumoulin hit.

Then he went and did that to Aston-Reese anyway.

'The NHL is taking toughness out of the game!'

I'll end on this one because I'll actually agree with Caps fans here.

I hate the fact that big, legal hits are being watered down and funneled out of the game.

But what Tom Wilson did wasn't legal or tough. Sneaking up behind a guy with an up-and-under shoulder hit to the head while the target is also getting sandwiched by Alex Ovechkin isn't tough.

Jumping into and hitting shoulder to head on a smaller player in front of your own bench as you were about to get off the ice for a change anyway isn't tough.

Then, even though you have a reputation for fighting, running away from a challenge to fight from one of the few players in the league that's actually bigger than you (Jamie Oleksiak), that sure isn't tough.

On Tuesday, Capitals fans were telling Penguins fans to shut up and deal with the decisions from the league on the three controversial calls that didn't go Pittsburgh's way.

Now they are complaining about a decision from the league.

I guess hypocritical double-speak from Washington isn't limited to politicians.