Tom Wilson will reach a milestone and in impressive fashion when the Washington Capitals take on the Philadelphia Flyers tonight at Capital One Arena.
Wilson will become the third-youngest player in franchise history to reach 900 games. The only two players to reach the mark quicker were Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom.
Youngest players to reach 900-game mark in franchise history (per Capitals PR)
| Player | Date | Age (Y-D) | GP | G | A | P |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alex Ovechkin | 2/25/2017 | 31-161 | 900 | 552 | 468 | 1020 |
| Nicklas Backstrom | 10/10/2019 | 31-321 | 900 | 232 | 645 | 877 |
| Tom Wilson | 3/31/2026 | 32-2 | 900* | 204 | 243 | 447 |
| John Carlson | 11/17/2022 | 32-311 | 900 | 137 | 467 | 604 |
| Calle Johansson | 11/6/2001 | 34-265 | 900 | 110 | 349 | 459 |
| Peter Bondra | 3/22/2003 | 35-43 | 900 | 447 | 336 | 783 |
* Wilson’s stats will be updated after tonight’s game, the 900th of his career.
After playing three games for the Capitals in the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Wilson made his NHL regular-season debut on October 1, 2013, against the Chicago Blackhawks at 19 years and 186 days old.
“It’s been more than a dream come true,” Wilson told the Capitals’ Mike Vogel after the team’s morning skate. “It’s been an incredible journey, and I feel really privileged to be at home in Washington my whole career so far. I just take a lot of pride in what I’ve done. And, you know, I feel like in my head I’m still kind of a young guy, but when you start to hear some of these birth years and teenagers making their debut, it puts you in your place.”
Wilson, who turned 32 on Sunday, is the seventh player to play 900 games with Washington, joining Alex Ovechkin, John Carlson, Nicklas Backstrom, Calle Johansson, Peter Bondra, and Kelly Miller.
According to the team, Wilson is the third player from the 2012 NHL Draft to play 900 games — the others are Maple Leafs legends Cody Ceci (944 games) and Morgan Rielly (944). Among his draft class, Wilson ranks third in goals (204) and sixth in points (447).
“It’s funny the way it works,” Wilson said. “When you’re a young guy, you never are lucky enough to know at that stage that you’re going to be a veteran and around the league for a long time. And, at this point in your career, you don’t get to talk to your younger self. So, [time] certainly flies by.”
During his tenure with the Capitals, the 6-foot-4, 225-pound Wilson has evolved into one of the best power forwards in the NHL. Wilson, who has 25 goals and 167 hits, currently is one of just two players in the NHL this season to have at least 25 goals and 160-plus hits, joining Ottawa Senators center Dylan Cozens (25 goals and 196 hits).
Wilson, who plays in all situations, is the Capitals’ fourth-leading scorer, posting 52 points (25g, 27a) in 64 games. He leads all Capitals forwards with 19:35 ice time per game. League-wide, that ranks seventh-most among right wings.
Wilson, who won a silver medal with Team Canada in his first Olympics appearance in February, was the Capitals’ first-line right wing on its Stanley Cup championship team in 2018, skating with Alex Ovechkin and Evgeny Kuznetsov.
The alternate captain is expected to become captain of the Capitals when Alex Ovechkin decides to hang up his skates.
