Tom Wilson Is Still Doing Tom Wilson Things

The 2018-19 NHL season hasn’t even officially started yet and Tom Wilson is already back on his bullshit. In the second period of the Capitals final preseason game, Wilson absolutely leveled Blues center Oskar Sundqvist and was assessed a major penalty and a game misconduct for it.

Sundqvist had to be taken off the ice due to injury from the hit. Whether you believe Wilson is a dirty player who’s only used as a means to take out opponents on the other team, or you’re a Caps fan who sees him as a fan-favorite, there’s no denying that it’s time for him to stop pretending like he will change. Time and time again the controversial player has put out empty apologies, and meaningless comments about how he’s realizing the error of his ways, or at least recognizing that people don’t like him.

This, of course, isn’t to say that Wilson has to fundamentally change how he plays. Physicality was a big reason why Washington was able to snatch the Stanley Cup in five games, and why Wilson fit into the top line so well. But, these hits were still a problem in the Final and are a bad look for a sport whose fans are constantly trying to bring it to the national spotlight, meaning the only true solution here would be league intervention. Considering the NHL’s track record in correctly punishing some of Wilson’s hits, that might not be the most promising path.