Paul Stewart: Tough Guys, Bluff Guys and Tom Wilson

Well written and completely on point. His coach, GM, organization, team leadership, and the league can't control Wilson. He listens to no one and will eventually be banned like Raffe Torres.

If I'm Rangers I circle next Caps game and I would tell my guys I want you to slew foot, cross check, board, slash, spear every guy on the ice except Wilson. Wouldn't touch Wilson. Just skate by bench and tell Caps every dirty hit is for Wilson.

I'd especially interfere and run goalie.

I'd make sure the penalty box had multiple players in it for extended periods of game. Wouldn't care if I lost 15-0..

Where was Brendan Smith? Where was Julian Gauthier?

ugly - no doubt...but, two points.

First, the two guys Stewart identifies as "tough guys" (Simmonds and Chara), are both guys that Wilson has fought.

Second, what we Panarin and Pavel B. doing trying to mix it up with Wilson? Not saying that justifies the outcome, but saying a little discretion on their part might have served them well in this case.

If I'm Rangers I circle next Caps game and I would tell my guys I want you to slew foot, cross check, board, slash, spear every guy on the ice except Wilson. Wouldn't touch Wilson. Just skate by bench and tell Caps every dirty hit is for Wilson.

I'd especially interfere and run goalie.

I'd make sure the penalty box had multiple players in it for extended periods of game. Wouldn't care if I lost 15-0..
- coaster28

The Rangers won't have to wait long - the rematch is tomorrow night.

You gonna do that to Dillon, Chara, Hathaway, and Mantha? uhhhh....OK. Not the strategy I'd take, but OK.

what we Panarin and Pavel B. doing trying to mix it up with Wilson? Not saying that justifies the outcome, but saying a little discretion on their part might have served them well in this case.
- sfischer

Well, Pavel B was lying facedown on the ice. Inflammatory behavior, no doubt, but I’m still thinking no amount of discretion on his part would have prevented Wilson from seeing an opportunity to try to injure someone.

Well, Pavel B was lying facedown on the ice. Inflammatory behavior, no doubt, but I’m still thinking no amount of discretion on his part would have prevented Wilson from seeing an opportunity to try to injure someone.
- Sashamook

So, let me get your version of this right - Pavel was in a scrum with Wilson, attempted to exit said scrum by taking a prone position face down on the ice, and Wilson attacked him? The incident - Wilson's part of it, was bad enough. It doesn't need embellishment.

What Stewart said about the tough guys of past eras is true, but it is also true that the skilled played - think Gretzky and Kariya for two, didn't get into scrums with the likes of Probert, Manson and Berube. But, if a scrum did arise, the skilled players were off the ice, and the team sent their own enforcement squad out there to deal with it

Well said, Stewie!! Bravo!

Can we please have the “old” NHL back?!?!

So Stewart Is celebrating the talentless thugs of NHL decades gone by but has no appreciation for a real tough dude like Wilson who can be tough and score? Is Stewart bothered by this because Wilson Is a top six forward on a really good team?

So, let me get your version of this right - Pavel was in a scrum with Wilson, attempted to exit said scrum by taking a prone position face down on the ice, and Wilson attacked him? The incident - Wilson's part of it, was bad enough. It doesn't need embellishment.

What Stewart said about the tough guys of past eras is true, but it is also true that the skilled played - think Gretzky and Kariya for two, didn't get into scrums with the likes of Probert, Manson and Berube. But, if a scrum did arise, the skilled players were off the ice, and the team sent their own enforcement squad out there to deal with it
- sfischer

Did you even watch a replay of the incident before posting?

So, let me get your version of this right - Pavel was in a scrum with Wilson, attempted to exit said scrum by taking a prone position face down on the ice, and Wilson attacked him? The incident - Wilson's part of it, was bad enough. It doesn't need embellishment.
- sfischer

No, my version, I’m gonna call it reality, you can call it what you want, is that Buchnevich was at the front of the net and got tied up with Dowd, which happens. Then Wilson comes over at a point where Dowd is already putting some weight on Buch’s back, pushes him down, holds him down with one hand and punches him in the head. That’s just straightforwardly dirty.
So again, as far as your suggestion that Buchnevich “was trying to mix it up with Wilson,” I just don’t know what the (frank) you’re talking about.

As for why Panarin would enter it, it’s quite obviously because Wilson and Dowd were in the act of pummeling the poop out of a ranger (Strome, I think?) who was on the ice. He may have assumed that he’d get hit for it. I have to think that he didn’t expect Wilson would pull him down by his hair and smash his head into the ice. Maybe he should have, as Wilson has shown himself in the past to be that kind of player.

No, my version, I’m gonna call it reality, you can call it what you want, is that Buchnevich was at the front of the net and got tied up with Dowd, which happens. Then Wilson comes over at a point where Dowd is already putting some weight on Buch’s back, pushes him down, holds him down with one hand and punches him in the head. That’s just straightforwardly dirty.
So again, as far as your suggestion that Buchnevich “was trying to mix it up with Wilson,” I just don’t know what the (frank) you’re talking about.

As for why Panarin would enter it, it’s quite obviously because Wilson and Dowd were in the act of pummeling the poop out of a ranger (Strome, I think?) who was on the ice. He may have assumed that he’d get hit for it. I have to think that he didn’t expect Wilson would pull him down by his hair and smash his head into the ice. Maybe he should have, as Wilson has shown himself in the past to be that kind of player.
- Sashamook

Agreed.

Rangers need to find a time machine for Nick Fotiu. Wilson's ears would be ringing for a week. Fotiu was one tough dude.

Wilson fought summoned and chars but you would never catch either of them taking on a weaker opponent like that. I am a fan of old school hockey. I miss the fighting. I miss the animosity but what he did was ludicrous. The league is at fault for not making an example out of this.....repeat offender. Situation that did not warrant it on what can be considered a player in a vulnerable position. Wilson may be buddies with Simmons off ice but he could learn a thing or two about being a class act from him. Simmons never took liberties like that.

Did you even watch a replay of the incident before posting?

- Nasty_Duck

He did, and Wilson obviously did nothing wrong, why would Buchnevich be at the net trying to score a goal? And Panarin shouldn't have, checks notes, tried to stop Wilson from further pummeling Buchnevich.

He did, and Wilson obviously did nothing wrong, why would Buchnevich be at the net trying to score a goal? And Panarin shouldn't have, checks notes, not tried to stop Wilson from further pummeling Buchnevich.
- Wetbandit1

Sounds about right

If you don’t understand why Tom Wilson is a complete POS hockey player it’s probably because you’re a complete POS human being.

I’ve HATED the Rangers for four decades but totally side with them on this. And the league is an absolute joke to allow this stuff to continue time and time again.

So, let me get your version of this right - Pavel was in a scrum with Wilson, attempted to exit said scrum by taking a prone position face down on the ice, and Wilson attacked him? The incident - Wilson's part of it, was bad enough. It doesn't need embellishment.

What Stewart said about the tough guys of past eras is true, but it is also true that the skilled played - think Gretzky and Kariya for two, didn't get into scrums with the likes of Probert, Manson and Berube. But, if a scrum did arise, the skilled players were off the ice, and the team sent their own enforcement squad out there to deal with it
- sfischer

If you are laying face down on the ice and someone jumps on your back and punches you into the ice - you think you're in a scrum? They weren't squared off or even trading jabs at the net mouth. Pavel was literally kissing the ice. A scrum - Jesus man.

Bettman's apparent lack of interest would disappear in a New York minute if one the DA candidates for election in NYC seized on this as being a high profile, unacceptable example of violence that sets a bad example for impressionable kids. If nothing else Bettman would be forced to get off the fence if it becomes a public debate. He would also move heaven and earth to make sure law enforcement stays out of his hockey rinks. (Keep in mind that Bettman is a lawyer by trade and obviously a pretty smart one at that so by now he must be rethinking whether the situation requires a different outcome.)
Apparently, violence is one of the top two issues for NYC voters in these elections and whether it's a misdemeanor or not and just because it happened at a hockey rink doesn't alter the fact that it (legally speaking) was an apparent assault on an unwilling victim(s) and is therefore prosecutable.
Maybe Dolan would be mad enough to "help" make it happen.

So Stewart Is celebrating the talentless thugs of NHL decades gone by but has no appreciation for a real tough dude like Wilson who can be tough and score? Is Stewart bothered by this because Wilson Is a top six forward on a really good team?
- Shady1962

Somebody call the front desk at the nursing home, Shady is out of his room again.

So Stewart Is celebrating the talentless thugs of NHL decades gone by but has no appreciation for a real tough dude like Wilson who can be tough and score? Is Stewart bothered by this because Wilson Is a top six forward on a really good team?
- Shady1962

Your take is so far off you must have just skimmed the blog.

And Wilson is not a "tough dude". He's a punk who hits people when they don't expect it.

One of the problems here is that while, in the "old NHL", there were plenty of tough guys who could have easily taken Wilson in a fair fight there are very few players in the modern NHL who could. I am not aware of any other Eastern division players who reliably could (aside from some of Wilson's teammates like Chara and if he is lucky, Hathaway). I guess maybe Matt Martin or Miles Wood could if they were lucky (Martin would definitely try, at least). Even Ryan Reaves lost a fight to Wilson once in the past (but also took him out with a glorious and well-deserved cheapshot, early in the 2018-19 season after Wilson's cheapshot against Marchessault in the SC Finals). Relative to the modern NHL, Wilson is a tough guy in addition to being a cheapshot artist and very dirty player. This makes him especially dangerous.

There are only two ways to deal with someone like Wilson in the modern NHL:
1. Beat his team on the scoreboard, in a meaningful game. In this case the Rangers do not have any meaningful games left so this isn't really a good option.

2. Deliberately target the Capitals' star players tonight with cheapshots intended to injure - even vicious shots to the head intended to concuss. I am not sure if Ovi or Carlson are back yet but at least go after Backstrom and Orlov. If the Caps go into the playoffs with Backstrom, Carlson, and Orlov out week to week Wilson will be hitting the golf course after the first or second playoff series. Should they play the Pens in the first series and be without Carlson and Orlov and with the caliber of goalies they have, the Pens' offense will torch them. Add an injured Backstrom to the mix and they might be done in 5 games.

One of the problems here is that while, in the "old NHL", there were plenty of tough guys who could have easily taken Wilson in a fair fight there are very few players in the modern NHL who could. I am not aware of any other Eastern division players who reliably could (aside from some of Wilson's teammates like Chara and if he is lucky, Hathaway). I guess maybe Matt Martin or Miles Wood could if they were lucky (Martin would definitely try, at least). Even Ryan Reaves lost a fight to Wilson once in the past (but also took him out with a glorious and well-deserved cheapshot, early in the 2018-19 season after Wilson's cheapshot against Marchessault in the SC Finals). Relative to the modern NHL, Wilson is a tough guy in addition to being a cheapshot artist and very dirty player. This makes him especially dangerous.

There are only two ways to deal with someone like Wilson in the modern NHL:
1. Beat his team on the scoreboard, in a meaningful game. In this case the Rangers do not have any meaningful games left so this isn't really a good option.

2. Deliberately target the Capitals' star players tonight with cheapshots intended to injure - even vicious shots to the head intended to concuss. I am not sure if Ovi or Carlson are back yet but at least go after Backstrom and Orlov. If the Caps go into the playoffs with Backstrom, Carlson, and Orlov out week to week Wilson will be hitting the golf course after the first or second playoff series. Should they play the Pens in the first series and be without Carlson and Orlov and with the caliber of goalies they have, the Pens' offense will torch them. Add an injured Backstrom to the mix and they might be done in 5 games.
- PghPens668771

The Bruins have Miller and Ritchie with the size to handle Wilson. Tinordi as well - but he has not dressed many games.

Wow, what is with the fly-by shot on Milan Lucic. An article about Tom Wilson and you take a dirty shot against a guy who the article isn't even about. Classless.