According to the Washington Times Sports’ Adam Zielonka, the Capitals have extended a restricted free agent qualifying offer to Tom Wilson. The deadline for RFA qualifying offers ends Monday at 5 PM.
Wilson’s agent also spilled some beans on the thing we’re really interested in. He’s “confident” Wilson and the Capitals will reach a long-term deal over the summer.
Tom Wilson has received his RFA qualifying offer from the #Capitals, his agent told me. There's confidence they'll reach a long-term deal over the summer.
— Adam Zielonka (@Adam_Zielonka) June 25, 2018
Over the 2017-18 season, Wilson spent significant amount of time on the top line, with Alex Ovechkin and Evgeny Kuznetsov. His 35 points, including 14 goals, and 21 assists, were a career high. However, Wilson also received three suspensions, two in the preseason, and one in the playoffs.
Wilson is under team control as a restricted free agent. By extending a qualifying offer by 5 PM Monday, the Capitals retain his rights, and can continue to negotiate a contract until arbitration. If Wilson accepts the Capitals’ qualifying offer, he will automatically be signed to a one-year deal under the terms of the offer.
Should Wilson reject the qualifying offer and choose instead to sign an offer sheet with another team, the Capitals can either match that deal within seven days or let Wilson go for draft-pick compensation. It’s unlikely Wilson will end up with another team as NHL general managers rarely sign restricted free agents to offer sheets.
Wilson also has arbitration rights and artificial deadlines during that process could force each side to make a deal.
