Capitals’ Tom Wilson fined for knee-to-knee hit on Penguins’ Conor Sheary

A knee-to-knee hit by Tom Wilson on Conor Sheary has led to the NHL levying a fine against the Washington Capitals left wing, but he will not be suspended during their second-round playoff series against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Wilson was leaving the ice at 4:07 of the third period of the Capitals’ 4-3 overtime win in Game 1 on Thursday when, rather than skating directly to the open door leading to the bench, he headed toward Sheary at the center line. Wilson hit Sheary’s left knee with his own, sending the Penguins’ top-line tumbling to the ice and subsequently taking out defenseman Brian Doumoulin as Wilson stepped onto the bench.

No penalty was called on the play, and Sheary did not miss a shift. Wilson’s fine totaled $2,403.67, which is the maximum allowable under the collective bargaining agreement.

Neither Wilson nor Sheary took part in their team’s optional practices on Friday and did not speak with reporters. Capitals coach Barry Trotz said an hour before the league announced its decision that he would be “fine” with whatever conclusion it reached regarding supplemental discipline.

“I thought it was OK, but it wasn’t really, I would say, necessary, probably, on both [players’ behalves],” Trotz said. “Anyways, we’ll let the league decide on that.”

Wilson, who ranked third among all players with 163 penalty minutes and 44 minor penalties during the regular season, was also in the spotlight for a hard hit last postseason. His hit on New York Islanders defenseman Lubomir Visnovsky in Game 3 of the teams’ first-round playoff series, in which Wilson did not receive any supplemental discipline, gave Visnovsky a concussion.

Trotz has said throughout the season that the coaching staff has tried to work with the 22-year-old Wilson on responsibly, and not recklessly, hitting opponents. To emphasize his point, Trotz said that officials in the first-round series against the Philadelphia Flyers complemented Wilson on the nature of his play.

“His first mentality as a young guy is to run you right through the boards, and I think we refined his game to, you know, we don’t want to hit on the numbers, we don’t want to hit at the head, but clean, physical hits are OK because that’s part of his game,” Trotz said. “That’s part of the NHL game. … He’s adapting, and I thought he’s done a really good job.”