NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman Upholds Capitals Forward Tom Wilson's 20-Game Suspension

Tom Wilson was suspended on Oct. 3 for a hit to the head on St. Louis Blues forward Oskar Sundqvist.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman upheld Capitals forward Tom Wilson's 20-game suspension on Thursday, the league announced.

Wilson was suspended on Oct. 3 by the Department of Player Safety for an illegal hit to the head on St. Louis Blues forward Oskar Sundqvist. The incident happened during a preseason game on Sept. 30. Wilson was considered a repeat offender under the NHL's new collecive bargaining agreement, which states that "players that repeatedly violate league rules will be more severely punished for each new violation."

The NHLPA filed an appeal on Wilson's behalf on Oct. 5. After a hearing that lasted seven hours in New York last week, Bettman ruled to uphold the suspension.

This is the fourth suspension of Wilson's career, all coming in the last 13 months. Wilson served a three-game ban in the 2018 postseason on the team's way to a Stanley Cup title. The 20-game ban is the longest for the NHL since San Jose Sharks forward Raffi Torres's 41-game ban in 2015.

With the suspension, Wilson will be eligible to return when the Capitals face the Blackhawks on Nov. 21.

The NHL's full report is below.