Tom Wilson played with a heavy heart on Thursday.
Wilson’s grandfather, Jake Avery, passed away earlier in the afternoon at the age of 95. Wilson went to see Avery, whom he affectionately called Grampie, one final time last week.
“This one meant a lot to me personally,” Wilson said after the Capitals’ 6-0 shutout victory. “This is the building I got my start in at the (2012 NHL) Draft. I know he was up there and I know he was pulling for the Caps, so this one is for my family and for Grampie. That’s life — he had an amazing life — but I’m pretty happy to get this one for him.
“Our whole family was in Toronto, back home, watching together tonight, so I know this probably brought a smile to their face.”
Spencer Carbery addressed Wilson’s loss during his postgame locker room speech, crediting him his team for rising to the moment as they dealt with both personal grief and the trades of two veteran teammates after Anthony Mantha and Joel Edmundson were dealt to contending teams ahead of the trade deadline.
“Goose egg, goose egg on the road,” Carbery said to the locker room postgame. “And I want to say as a group, once again, this group steps up, backs against the wall, a little adversity this week. We’ve lost some of our family members and we deliver in a big way on the road against a team that we’re neck and neck with. Good job overall!”
Wilson scored the game’s first goal — a shorthanded tally — while on a two-on-one break with Beck Malenstyn 1 minute and 52 seconds into the game. Wilson’s initial shot hit the post, but he then managed to knock the rebound out of mid-air and into the back of the net, showing off his stunning hand-eye coordination.
“It’s obviously hard to have a kill that early in the game,” Beck Malenstyn said during the first intermission to Monumental Sports Network. “You’re just trying to get into it. Fortunate enough here that we are able to get a little bit of a rush. Willy was calling for it early. D-man kinda came over to me. Gave it to him and hell of a second effort by him.”
Wilson later showed his grit after being high-sticked brutally in the face by Ryan Graves at the 5:46 mark. Wilson was cut on the left cheek, sporting blood down his face.
Wilson would get stitched up in the locker room and return minutes later.
Despite his age, Avery recently attended the 2024 NHL All-Star Game in Toronto to cheer his grandson on at Scotiabank Arena.
Hi, Wilson Family! 👋 pic.twitter.com/8m4bZfdiI2
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) February 3, 2024
During a Capitals-Maple Leafs game in 2019, Avery gushed about Wilson’s talent and kindness.
“I’ve been watching his games all his life, and his brother,” he said to Kathryn Tappen. “As a fierce bodychecker and fighter, he is the softest and nicest guy you’d ever want to meet.”
Wilson brought the Stanley Cup to Avery’s country club while celebrating the Capitals’ Stanley Cup championship in Toronto.
“That was fabulous,” Avery said. “But he had a party at my house — all night long.”
Grampie's jersey game 💪 #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/uWNtAH5peG
— NHLPA (@NHLPA) August 7, 2018
“I didn’t know [his grandfather] had passed today,” Charlie Lindgren said. “Rest in peace. That’s not easy. He’s got to be damn proud of the grandson he has in Tom.”
