WASHINGTON—Capitals forward Tom Wilson, serving a 20-game suspension for an illegal check, will have his appeal hearing with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman on Thursday in New York City, according to the players’ association. The union filed for an appeal on Wilson’s behalf last Friday, and Bettman’s ruling won’t necessarily signal the end of the process. If the ban isn’t lifted by the commissioner, Wilson can appeal to a neutral arbitrator — and players have had more success with that route. Wilson’s appeal likely will focus on the length of the punishment rather than the legality of the hit on Sundqvist. Wilson was slated to start the season on the Capitals’ top line with Evgeny Kuznetsov and Alex Ovechkin.

Source: thestar October 13, 2018 21:00 UTC