This attempt by the NBC Sports affiliate in D.C. to paint Tom Wilson as a victim of his reputation can kiss my ass in hell. It’s an absolute crock of ***t.
It’s a home-team TV piece. I get that.
But ROOT Sports Pittsburgh (now AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh) never did a documentary saying Matt Cooke was misunderstood.
Wilson has never been a victim. Not under any circumstance, and not even when Vegas’ Ryan Reaves concussed him with a late, blind-side hit Dec. 4 when Washington visited the Golden Knights.
That was merely Wilson paying the piper.
Wilson, in his fifth NHL season, has been suspended four times for a total of 25 games (including three playoff contests and two preseason tilts). Wilson is a serial headhunter who says he doesn’t try to hurt foes but somehow manages to do just that time and again. His “who, me?” shtick has long since worn thin. Wilson broke Zach Aston-Reese's jaw during last spring's Penguins-Capitals playoff series, then laughed about it on the bench.
It can’t be denied that Wilson is an effective player. But his dark side can’t be denied, either, nor should it be sugar-coated.