Post-Game Talk: Capitals @ Bruins 7pm

[CapitalsCupReality]

Hold on man. Let’s not sit back and deride your brethren. That’s useless, and categorically false.

Most of us have taken issue with at least half of his “concussion creating” hits. Don’t pretend otherwise. Not agreeing with this one doesn’t mean that we all always take the players side here.

I also need you to slow your roll on comparing Wilson’s track record with other players. That’s a very flawed premise. If you want to compare Wilson’s track record, then compare him to others “Wilson’s” (players who are 6’4” and 225lbs that are faster than probably 90% of all NHL hockey players, regardless of size). If you want to tally his negatives, then also tally his positives. Find us other players that have the same skill set (so...other unicorns).

you won’t be able to. So don’t try and make it apples to apples. As it’s not.

the other aspect to this is that the league seems to make up the rules for him, as they go along. Which what I will say 90% of us defending him don’t like. It IS unfair. Simply because he can do more damage doing exactly what every other play can do (hit people), is more of an issue to me than some predatory mindset that people seem to think Wilson has. The rules are seemingly changing “BECAUSE” the NHL doesn’t know what to do with this unicorn.

I don’t expect you to agree here, but I also don’t expect you negatively categorize most of your fellow Caps fans. It’s BS.

I support this post with an added 2 middle finger salute.

 

[Ridley Simon]

I support this post with an added 2 middle finger salute.

Well, in fairness — his name does have “Judge” in it. So it’s part of the fiber of the posts.

 

[g00n]

No doubt Capitals fans from the DC area can lawyer up a defense as well as any fanbase. Probably better. If your objective is to find some detail about the rules to find a way to claim that Tom Wilson can go around giving opposing players concussions with an alarmingly high degree of frequency - obviously you can do that.

Tom Wilson has concussed way too many people. That is a fact. Can you name a player that has concussed as many people as Tom Wilson? Can you name a player who has concussed even half as many? Let's put the numbers together (I don't have time today but I'll do a tally if nobody else will).

The rules are there to protect people's brains. Tom Wilson is serially damaging opposing player's brains. It cannot stand. Even if you think this is a legal hit (it's not), you still should acknowledge that the pattern is unsustainable.

He's been involved in 5 concussions that I could count going back 6-7 years. In that same period he's delivered 1,975 hits (regular and playoffs but not counting preseason).

So on any given hit there would be a 0.25% chance of a concussion, or about one in 400 hits.

 

[Capsman]

No doubt Capitals fans from the DC area can lawyer up a defense as well as any fanbase. Probably better. If your objective is to find some detail about the rules to find a way to claim that Tom Wilson can go around giving opposing players concussions with an alarmingly high degree of frequency - obviously you can do that.

Tom Wilson has concussed way too many people. That is a fact. Can you name a player that has concussed as many people as Tom Wilson? Can you name a player who has concussed even half as many? Let's put the numbers together (I don't have time today but I'll do a tally if nobody else will).

The rules are there to protect people's brains. Tom Wilson is serially damaging opposing player's brains. It cannot stand. Even if you think this is a legal hit (it's not), you still should acknowledge that the pattern is unsustainable.

I've also called Wilson out on bad hits that were stupid. Especially the late ones ticked me off. On this one I would like for you to tell us what about the hit was illegal outside of the outcome to Carlo. Even the league is saying it wasn't a hit to the head. Boarding? Traditionally it's taking a run at someone unsuspecting from behind. Perhaps there is some obscure definition nobody (maybe Wilson included) knew that the league pulled out. He didn't target the guy from 50 feet away, he most certainly wasn't going high speed. A check shouldn't hurt? Well then you don't believe in a "heavy game" because the idea is to make players see and hear ghosts, leading to turnovers. It's just that Wilson, as Ridley mentioned, is a unicorn in that he naturally does it harder than others given his size. Does Carlo turning his chest toward Wilson and lowering his head play any factor in your mind? I sincerely want to hear your counter argument, not pointing to the outcome and a "gut" feeling it was illegal but rather explaining technically.

 

[Corby78]

It’s comical the “it’s illegal because it caused a concussion” argument. Then where is the Reeves suspension? Or the suspension for the Kempny hit that has derailed his career. If you punish a guy every time somebody gets hurt you will start to hate the product on the ice that develops.

If there is something rule wise that needs to be changed then change it, but don’t punish guys because somebody happened to get hurt.