Tom Wilson Whines About How He's Being Targeted by Refs

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Julien Trekker
April 12, 2023 (11:49)

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It's no secret that Tom Wilson is one of the most controversial players in the NHL. Along with Brad Marchand and Tyler Bertuzzi, he's considered one of the NHL's grittiest pests.

When you have this kind of reputation, it's normal for referees to keep a close eye on you, much to the dismay of Tom Wilson.

It's true that Wilson has been subject to two controversial calls in consecutive games. The first was in Montreal, when he received 17 minutes for asking Michael Pezzetta to fight.

Then, in the game against Florida, he received a punch from Givani Smith, who was on the bench, after his shift had ended. When he retaliated on the ice, both players received a minor penalty.

"Honestly, that was the first time [I've ever been punched from the bench]. I don't know what the rule is. I thought if you get punched from the bench off the ice, it's probably a game misconduct.

It was obviously a big game for them, but we're still trying to win games. That was a little frustrating. It's never happened. I maybe should not have reacted, but if you get punched from the bench, you kind of react with the territory."

"You know what? Honestly, I don't really know what's going on rules-wise. The other night, I asked a guy to fight, I squared up and get 17 minutes. I get punched from the bench on a line change, and we kill three consecutive penalties. It's tough."

This is what happens when you play with Wilson's style. He shouldn't be surprised by how he's treated by the officials, but it's also understandably frustrating.

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12 AVRIL \| 40 ANSWERS Tom Wilson Whines About How He's Being Targeted by Refs Do you think Tom Wilson is getting unfair treatment by referees?
Yes	17	42.5 %
No	23	57.5 %
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