After Ryan Strome and head coach David Quinn shared some of their thoughts on Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson not being suspended by the NHL for his actions during Monday’s game against the Rangers, the team released a very strongly worded statement on Tuesday evening.
Here is the full Rangers statement …
“The New York Rangers are extremely disappointed that Capitals forward Tom Wilson was not suspended for his horrifying act of violence last night at Madison Square Garden. Wilson is a repeat offender with a long history of these type of acts and we find it shocking that the NHL and their Department of Player Safety failed to take the appropriate action and suspend him indefinitely. Wilson’s dangerous and reckless actions caused an injury to Artemi Panarin that will prevent him from playing again this season. We view this as a dereliction of duty by NHL Head of Player Safety, George Parros, and believe he is unfit to continue in his current role.”
Wilson was fined $5,000 for his antics, the maximum allowed under the NHL’s CBA, but he was not suspended by the league.
After the whistle during Monday’s game, Wilson threw a punch at Pavel Buchnevich, who was already down on the ice around the crease. As a scrum broke out, Wilson then pulled Artemi Panarin down to the ice violently, resulting in a lower-body injury that will cost the star forward the rest of his season.
"I think it's a joke, to be honest with you," Ryan Strome told media on Tuesday. "... I think it crossed the line. A defenseless player in Panarin with no helmet on -- a superstar in our league. I think it's a joke.
"You want the league to have your back in those situations."