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When is a Hit Worth a Quarter of a Goal?

Some of Tom Wilson's contributions can be pretty easily overlooked if you're not paying attention

Hits are a much-maligned statistic in the hockey world these days, as well they should be. Generally if a team is doing a lot of hitting, it's because they don't have the puck all that much... and that's not a good thing.

But hits aren't completely without value as a means of regaining possession, getting a psychological edge over an opponent or providing other benefits, quantifiable or otherwise.

And then there's a hit like this one, that's actually worth about a quarter of a goal:

That's Tom Wilson laying out Blackhawks' captain Jonathan Toews.