Tom Wilson joined an exclusive club in Capitals franchise history after scoring two goals against the New Jersey Devils on Saturday night.
Wilson became just the fourth Cap to score in four straight games to begin a season. He joins Alex Ovechkin (2013-14), Mike Gartner (1987-88), and Dennis Maruk (1979-80). Wilson achieved the feat 6:01 into Saturday’s first period after finishing off a pretty backhand saucer pass from Connor McMichael.
The big winger added another tally in overtime to win the game and climb to third in the NHL in goals this season (5).
Wilson also matched The Great Eight’s total output during their respective four-game streaks, with both players scoring five goals.
Capitals season-opening goal streaks
| Player | Goal streak (games) | Goals during streak | Goal total at end of season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tom Wilson (2024-25) | 4 | 5 | ?? |
| Alex Ovechkin (2013-14) | 4 | 5 | 51 |
| Mike Gartner (1987-88) | 4 | 7 | 48 |
| Dennis Maruk (1979-80) | 4 | 7 | 10* |
* Note: Maruk played just 27 games before having season-ending knee surgery
Ovechkin, Gartner, and Maruk all scored at least 50 goals for the Capitals in one season at some point in their careers with the team. The three also rank first, second, and third regarding the best goal-per-game rate in franchise history. Ovechkin leads the pack (0.597), Maruk follows him (0.531), and Gartner is third (0.524).
Wilson ranks 99th in franchise history (0.199) in the same category. His single-season, career-high goal total is the 24 he potted during the 2021-22 campaign.
With his first goal against the Devils, Wilson reached the 150-goal mark in his career. His five goals have also been scored on just 12 shots, a shooting percentage (41.7%) 29.5 percent higher than his career average (12.2%).
Wilson now ranks second in the NHL in goals per game (1.25) this season, behind only Nikita Kucherov (1.75).
