Okay...Bad hit, and I'm not advocating this is the way to do it, but this is PART of what makes Wilson a serious threat to other teams. The problem is all the circumstance and history with Wilson and his rep. Wilson is big, strong, fast and hits people incredibly hard, but that's part of his skill set. He has to be smarter about it - especially the timing of this...so meaningless.
However, Some responsibility has to fall on the guy not paying attention to the game...the guy that got hit. You can't just skate around with your head down...CARRYING the damn puck in the other teams zone. You should EXPECT to get hit there. You DESERVE to get hit there. You don't deserve to get hit in the head or to be injured, but if his head had been up, it would not have been hit.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not defending this hit in particular, but for your own sake, you have to have situational awareness and protect yourself by paying attention. If there is a sport left where you have to be aware and protect yourself, its this one.
Scott Stevens made a career hitting people on the blue line. He would have smiled at him and skated beside him as they helped him off the ice and told him..."That's what you get for crossing MY blue line. That blue line is MINE, and I OWN it. Remember that mother f*#ker! The NEXT time you cross it, I'm going to hit you harder!" And I damn sure bet the next time he skated into the Stevens zone, the guys f'n head would have been up.
Dale Hunter would have chatted the guy up about it...."remember that hit? the one where Scotty beamed you to another dimension....damn you looked like a real powder-puff laying on the ice like that. Sure hope you don't get hit like that again. Maybe you should quit this game...it's kinda rough."
All fond reminiscing aside, I realize that was a different era and the game has changed, but that was one of the things that made Stevens a great player and a threat and an effective deterrent to opposing scorers. Same goes for Wilson. Being a big physical player is PART of what makes him an effective hockey player. Unless the WNHL changes the rules to the "No Hitting League", then guys are going to get hit, and the bigger stronger ones are going to hit harder....(that's why you want them on your team)
Again, not defending this hit in particular, but defending hitting in the NHL.
I don't want to see anyone injured or career's ended or whatever, but part of it is on you. Part of the responsibility for your own safety SHOULD be on your own shoulders. We have the same problem with half the boarding calls. I realize the game is much faster and players are bigger and stronger, but half the boarding "issues" are caused by guys turning TOWARDS the boards just before being hit.
Stupid by Wilson though - for the Caps sake and his own, he has to know if ANYONE can't do this, its him.
I'd love to see Willy score more goals, but I sure as hell don't want him to stop hitting people and rely on strictly offensive prowess for the rest of his career.
I'm thinking Willy gets 10 games for this. That's gonna hurt.
I noticed the caps claimed Jaskin from the Blues off waivers....is this coincidence or is he a part time BIG BODY to fill in while Willy is in jail?