Tom Wilson is approaching an important date in his career. The 29-year-old forward will be eligible to sign a new extension beginning on July 1, 2023, as his six-year, $31 million contract that pays him $5.16 million annually, expires at the end of the 2023-24 season.
During his career in Washington, Wilson has grown into one of the Capitals’ most important and best overall players, contributing in all situations: five-on-five, the power play, and penalty kill. On top of that, he’s one of the most physical players in the NHL, a consistent goal scorer, and has the makeup of a captain.
When Wilson was asked on Breakdown Day about potentially re-signing, he told the media that “everyone knows I want to be here” and that “I can’t imagine playing for another team.”
But what about Caps management?
“I’d like Tom to finish up in Washington,” Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan said. “He’s been a big part of our culture, our group. He’s consistently gotten better throughout the years. We’re going to do everything we can to sign him.”
Wilson is coming off his age-28 season where he missed the first 42 games of the campaign due to offseason ACL surgery. Wilson started slow and then got injured again eight games later after blocking a shot with his leg on January 24. Once the “small, small fracture” healed, Wilson returned on February 18 and seemed much more of a game-breaker, scoring five goals in his first six games. Wilson finished the year with goals in four consecutive games. During that streak, he tallied six points overall.
“He was one of our better players down the stretch,” MacLellan said. “I really liked him and Strome together. I thought they were two players that played consistently well down the stretch when we weren’t as a team playing well.”
While it’s a small sample size (33 games), Wilson tallied the highest goals-per-game average of his career (0.39). Before this season, he had scored 20 goals in three of his last four campaigns. He’s also spent less time in the penalty box, posting fewer than 100 PIMs in four consecutive seasons.
The question mark heading into 2023-24 will be if Wilson, still returning to full strength from an ACL tear last year, can continue to get better or match his effectiveness from the 2021-22 season where he set career highs in goals, assists, and points.
“Even when you come back from an ACL, you get through a game, you’re still recovering,” Wilson said. “The next morning you’re sore. You play a back-to-back, you’re sore. It’s always on your mind a little bit. Yeah, I was able to play well on the ice but it’s still in your head. Hopefully I’m at the point in September, a year plus where you’re feeling really good and you’re not thinking about it anymore.”
Headline photo: Alan Dobbins/RMNB
