Tom Wilson has been granted “non-roster player” status by the NHL as the Washington Capitals forward serves a 20-game suspension for an illegal hit to the head, according to Isabelle Khurshudyan of the Washington Post.
This means the Capitals can activate defenceman Michal Kempny off injured reserve without having to send another player down as Wilson would not take up one of the team’s 23 roster spots – Wilson’s average annual salary of $5,166,666 will, however, still count towards his team’s cap during this time, as pointed out by CapFriendly.
Article 16.12 of the NHL/NHLPA collective bargaining agreement, which covers various rules regarding team reserve lists, states:
“Upon approval of the Commissioner, a Player who is unavailable to play due to reasons other than injury, illness or disability (e.g., birth of a child, attending a funeral) will be designated a Non-Roster Player, and during such period of his designation as such he will not count against the Club’s Active Roster limit and his Club may replace such Player, provided, however, that the Non-Roster Player’s Player Salary and Bonuses and his replacement’s Player Salary and Bonuses are each included in calculating a Club’s Actual Club Salary and Averaged Club Salary, and the Players’ Share, for purposes of Article 50 (which covers the league’s Team Payroll Range System).”
Wilson hammered Oskar Sundqvist of the St. Louis Blues with an open-ice hit during a pre-season game in September which led to the suspension. It was announced this past week that Wilson is appealing the 20-game ban levied against him.
If Wilson’s 20-gamer is upheld, the earliest he would be eligible to return to Washington’s lineup would be Nov. 21.
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