Washington’s Tom Wilson got his suspension for hitting St. Louis’ Oskar Sundqvist in the head reduced from 20 games to 14 by an independent arbitrator.
(BTW, Shyam Das is the same arbitrator who overturned Ryan Braun’s PED suspension in MLB, and who reduced the 27-game domestic abuse suspension given Nashville’s Austin Watson to 18 games. He’s not exactly tough on crime.)
The Capitals had already played 16 games and the NHL lacks a time machine. But Wilson gets some cash back. He saves $378,000 thanks to the reduction.
This is a great victory for thugs everywhere. Wilson is a repeat offender. He often hits foes in the melon. How could Das conclude the punishment was too harsh?
Because George Parros steered Das in that direction, that’s how.
Parros is the ex-goon who is inexplicably in charge of the NHL’s Department of Player Safety. Parros said that he didn’t believe Wilson intended to injure.
FFS, the intent to injure could not possibly have been more obvious.
But a goon will always protect one of his own.
Appointing a criminal to run its judicial system is one of the dumbest things the NHL has ever done.