With two goals in Wednesday night’s game against the Edmonton Oilers, Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson solidified himself in team history. With his first goal of the game, he passed Bobby Carpenter for all-time goals, putting himself in the top 10. His second goal was just the cherry on top.
He’s a mere 28 goals from jumping into the top five, overtaking T.J. Oshie, Dave Christian, Bengt-Ake Gustafsson, Alexander Semin, and Mike Ridley. Last season was a 33-goal season for Wilson, and he is on pace to meet or exceed that total. The forward is, arguably, the Capitals’ MVP this season.
Wilson Is a Near Point-Per-Game Player
Not only is Wilson a high-scoring player, but he is also a consistent scorer, finding himself on the scoresheet night after night with either goals, assists, or both. He has 20 points in 21 games this season — the only Capitals player who is close to a point-per-game average. There are only seven games where Wilson did not register a point, and the team lost four of those six. Those stats make it clear that when he does well, the team succeeds.
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Even when he doesn’t make it on the scoresheet with an official point, he is making an impact. For example, in the Capitals’ recent game against the Montreal Canadiens, Wilson placed a big hit on the opponent to create a break in coverage, allowing Jakob Chychrun to score and help their team to a victory. His strong, unwavering ability to show up game after game makes him a definite MVP.
Wilson’s Season Statistics
The Canadian winger has some outstanding statistics on the season so far. He is the team’s leader in goals with 11, points with 20, and is also the forward with the highest time on ice (19:37). He also leads the team in power-play goals with four. With the Capitals’ power play struggling like it has, a player like Wilson is an asset on special teams. He is tied for third place in assists, sitting at nine alongside Alex Ovechkin.
Tom Wilson, Washington Capitals (Jess Starr/The Hockey Writers)
Another standout statistic is Wilson’s conversion rate. He has a 22.9% success rate on his shots, second only to Brandon Duhaime. If he can continue to get net-front and power shots past goaltenders, he will quickly overtake Duhaime and have the highest rate of offensive success on the team. He has also won 41.7% of his faceoffs, another offensive asset.
Wilson is also a huge part of the Capitals’ defense, even though he is not on the blue line. Standing at 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds, he’s a physical presence and has never been afraid to use his size to his advantage. This season, Wilson has registered 12 blocked shots and 56 hits — first on the team for hits, and 21st among all NHL forwards. When Wilson is on the ice, opponents have to be ready for physical action.
Good Things Are Said of Wilson
Wilson’s teammates have had good things to say about his performance so far, praising both his on-ice abilities and off-ice leadership. Teammate Ryan Leonard called him a “special player” on Wednesday night’s TNT broadcast, going on to say, “We like to call him the bus driver of the team, and it’s for a reason. Every single night, he gives it 110 percent every single shift. You saw it with the last-minute, minute-and-a-half blocking shots and scoring big goals for us in a timely manner. He’s a very key piece of this puzzle that we have.”
Chychrun spoke about Wilson earlier in the season, speaking more to his character. “[He’s] the heart and soul guy, working hard, doing all the little things right, and just going out and leading by example. He does it just about every night for us.” Dylan Strome echoed both players’ sentiments, saying, “He’s the driver of our team’s bus. When he’s going, we’re all going.”
Aliaksei Protas also spoke highly of Wilson, saying, “He is one of the faces of this team for a while now, and he’s our leader,” Protas said. “He’s the guy who can do everything — kind of like a unicorn in that league. He can hit, he can skate, he can score, and he’s a great player. He proved it again today.”
With Wilson looking for a bid for Team Canada’s final Olympic roster, it is no surprise that he has been performing at his best to start the season. Rosters must be finalized on Dec. 31, so we should expect to continue to see high numbers, big hits, and successful performance from the forward. Will he remain the team’s MVP? The Capitals are finally starting to up their offensive ante as a whole, so time will tell.
