Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson has been offered an in-person hearing via Zoom for boarding on Boston Bruins defenceman Brandon Carlo Friday night, NHL Player Safety announced Saturday morning.

Player Safety announced later in the day that the hearing will take place Saturday night.

An in-person hearing permits the league to suspend Wilson for five or more games. His last suspension was originally a 20-game ban that was reduced to 14 for a pre-season 2018 hit on Oskar Sundqvist of the St. Louis Blues.

The incident occurred when Carlo went to play the puck in the corner facing the boards. As he turned toward centre ice, Wilson came in and drove Carlo's head into the boards. Carlo collapsed to the ice and needed help getting to the bench.

Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy later said Carlo was taken to the hospital in an ambulance but did not say specifically what type of injury he was dealing with. Wilson was not assessed a penalty on the play but was later involved in a fight with Jarred Tinordi. 

"This is not a hearing for Rule 48 (illegal check to head) because it does not meet the criteria. Precedent is being broken. Wilson could become 1st in NHL history suspended for boarding on his that wasn't from behind," tweeted TSN Senior Hockey Reporter Frank Seravalli.

“Predatory hit from someone that’s done that before,” Cassidy told reporters after the game. “I do not understand why there wasn’t a penalty called on the ice. They huddled up, but I did not get an explanation why. It was out of our hands after that. We’ve just got to play hockey. Try to stick together as a team, play the right way. 

Boston went on to win the game 5-1, moving them to 13-5-3. The Capitals do not play until Sunday night when they take on the Flyers in Philadelphia.