Penguins Playoff Update: The Tom Wilson Dilemma

To respond or not to respond. That is the question. Is it better to turn the other cheek and count on the protection of NHL referees? Or should the Penguins recall Tom Sestito from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton for the express purpose of pummeling Washington bad boy Tom Wilson?

I’m paraphrasing Shakespeare. But it’s a real issue. One our Penguins need to address.

To back up a step, we all know the Pens are hockey tough. No team competes as hard between the whistles as the black and gold. To quote hockey analyst and former NHL scrapper Keith Jones, “the Penguins can take a punch.”

Problem is, they’ve been absorbing way too many blows. Like last night, when Wilson wiped out Conor Sheary with a vicious and by all appearances–deliberate–knee-on-knee hit.

It’s an old Broad Street Bullies’ tactic. Long before other teams joined the arms race, the Flyers terrorized the NHL. Dave “the Hammer” Schultz, Andre “Moose” Dupont, Bob “Hound” Kelly, and Don “Big Bird” Saleski abused opposing stars and dared foes like the Pens to respond. Back in the day when teams carried one–maybe two–policemen, few could neutralize Philadelphia’s menagerie of thugs.

Intimidating. Emasculating. Brutally effective.

Wilson’s borrowed from Freddie’s Philistines. The Caps’ marauder–who was fined but not suspended for his despicable hit–takes liberties with our players, secure in the knowledge that he’s practically immune to retribution.

Sure, the locals could summon Sestito. But who would we sit? Which brings me to my point.

One of the present Pens needs to stand up.

A likely candidate? Eric Fehr, who jostled with Wilson on several occasions last night.

Fehr’s a big guy. Plays an honest, straight-forward game. Doesn’t shy from contact. He’s not a fighter. Never has been. Not even in junior, when he was lighting it up as a big-time goal scorer.

On a team shorn of protectors, there are few other options. Evgeni Malkin’s arguably the Pens’ best fighter. You don’t want “Geno” busting a knuckle–or worse–on Wilson’s granite-hard helmet or visor.

Perhaps Fehr will challenge Wilson when the time is right. Just as he did back on December 21, when he took on Brandon Dubinsky of Columbus in the first fight of his 11-year NHL career.

The Manitoba native didn’t win the battle. He did win the war. Not to mention the undying respect of his teammates.

The Pens trailed 1-0 when Fehr and Dubinsky dropped the gloves. They won the game 5-2. Beat the Blue Jackets the next meeting, too. Fehr’s courageous, team-first actions signaled a turning point.

Defenseman Ian Cole’s another option. Although not in Wilson’s class, the 219-pounder handles his dukes fairly well.

Again, to quote the late Blues battler Barclay Plager, “It’s not who wins the fight that’s important, it’s being willing to fight.”

For all his bluster, Wilson isn’t the second coming of Attila the Hun. He got beaten–rather handily–by Philly’s Wayne Simmonds in the opening round. But make no mistake. He’s big and nasty. The definition of a bully. Tougher, certainly, than anyone on our present roster.

I’m not saying it wouldn’t hurt. But taking on Wilson–and taking one for the team–might be worth it in the long run. Might even help decide the series.