Captain In Waiting: The 'Selfless' Evolution Of Tom Wilson & What He Means To The Capitals

ARLINGTON, V.A. — There's no question in Alex Ovechkin's mind when it comes to who the next captain of the Washington Capitals will be when he eventually hangs up the skates.

He stood by it last April, expecting Wilson to be the guy that dons the "C" and leads the charge going forward. Besides, he brings just about everything to the table.

"Speed, power, toughness," Ovechkin rattled off with a smile. "What else you want? And skill."

That said, Wilson isn't getting ahead of himself; he doesn't want to think of the days when Ovechkin retires, but he has taken a lot of pride in his growth over time, especially as a leader.

After all, Wilson was always meant to be a Washington Capital; over the last 12 years, the Ontario native has been a staple in the lineup and a huge part of the community off the ice. Then, there's his presence that sets him apart.

"Every time you're putting on that jersey, you want to be the best player you can be," Wilson told The Hockey News.

And so far through 2024-25, that's what the Capitals have gotten out of Wilson. Through 50 games, he has 20 goals and 15 assists for 35 points and is on pace to finish with a career-high 32 goals and 57 points.

It's a testament to the work that he's put in to get his career to this point.

"I think he's had a number of good years now, showing differences in his game and his offensive talent, his upside, more of a facilitator... he commands a lot of space and creates space for others," John Carlson explained. "He's figured out where he needs to be and where he needs to control, and obviously, he works really hard on his game to improve all the time, even though he's a great player. It's paying off."

Of course, it hasn't been quite a straightforward road, and one of the obstacles he's had to overcome is a reputation across the league. While he's a favorite in D.C., it's a different story for the rest of the NHL.

He's the guy that everyone loves to hate, the one that people want on their team but can't stand playing against. He's the player who loves to get under other players' skins, the one who'll run his mouth, lay the body and drop the gloves when duty calls. His opponents hate playing against him, and he still carries a reputation from critics in the league.

"He's like as advertised. It sucks playing against him, way better to have him on your side," Brandon Duhaime said.

Goaltender Charlie Lindgren's seen Wilson from just about every perspective. Before arriving in the District, Lindgren would hear stories from his younger brother, New York Rangers defenseman Ryan, about constantly going toe-to-toe with Wilson over the course of the years.

"I think a lot about my brother... Ryan and Tom, they've had their spots throughout their time playing against each other," Lindgren said. "I know there's a time where Tom was literally going after Ryan by the Rangers bench, and Ryan was jawing back with him."

It didn't exactly make him well-liked in the Lindgren household, but then, Charlie signed a three-year contract with D.C. Since then, he's seen Wilson, his plane partner and one of his closest friends on the team, in a completely different light, as has Lindgren's parents — and admittedly, even Ryan.

"He's legit the nicest guy in the world. It's funny, a lot of those guys the fighters are the guys that play tough, they're a lot of times a gentle giant," Lindgren said. "Certainly, I think Tom fits that bill. He's got a little edge on for sure; you don't want to cross him or piss him off, but he's a really good dude. That rings true with Tom Wilson."

Earlier in his career, he had a target on his back; he played the role of the enforcer, and his hard-hitting style of play would lead to quite a few run-ins with the NHL Department of Player Safety.

Ultimately, it was a 20-game suspension in 2018 and a seven-game suspension three years later that marked a turning point for Wilson.

"At this point, it's kind of figuring out how to pick my spots for the most part," Wilson said.

And he's done just that. Since 2021, Wilson's had a mostly clean record, with the only exception being a suspension for high sticking in 2024. The 30-year-old has been more conscious of his physicality as time has gone on, and he's learned to balance his emotions and passion that boil over while laying it on the line for his team.

Of course, it also helps to have "physicality by committee," as Duhaime and Dylan McIlrath have made it easier for Wilson to pick and choose his battles this season.

"You have a bunch of guys all step up for each other. And there are times this year when I could just sit on the bench and get my air from the last shift and let someone else scream at the other guys," Wilson laughed. "It's been a fun group this year. There'll be times when I have to know to step up and do it myself, but it's always fun."

That said, he still makes big hits and plays, fights and chirps away, but he's been able to overcome that criticism and outside noise to bring more to the table, including playmaking and goalscoring.

At the end of the day, it all stems from his competitive spirit, something he's carried with him since his junior days. It's also the passion and love he has for getting to play the game he loves.

"I think you can get stuck in the day-to-day sometimes, and every once in a while, you have to reflect and stop and think about how lucky you are, you know, count your blessings. It's been a heck of a ride, it's been 12 years of an amazing journey, amazing organization and a big win in 2018," Wilson said. "There are times when you have to stop and reflect and appreciate where you're at. Everyone in this room is extremely competitive. If you're not competitive, if you're not getting better, there's going to be a young guy that comes in and tries to take your job."

A lot of Wilson's improvement has also come from working his way back from one of the bigger challenges of his career: a torn ACL he suffered just minutes into the team's 2022 Stanley Cup Playoff run.

Wilson was in for surgery and a gruelling eight months of recovery, something he'd never faced before. While he was able to get back to playing in January of 2023, it took some time for him to get back to feeling 100 percent.

Finally, this season, he felt like he was fully recovered, and it's shown in his play.

"So coming up this year, my skating felt really good. Strength felt really good," Wilson said, adding, You get stronger and stronger. The injury gets stronger and stronger as time goes on, especially with an injury like that. You just feel more comfortable."

While this season could end up being a career year on paper for him, a lot of what Wilson brings to the table doesn't always show up on the scoresheet.

"He does all the little things right, and he gets rewarded... Goes to the net hard, does a lot of selfless things for this hockey team, kills penalties, on the first power play, wins battles constantly," Dylan Strome said. "I've said a bunch of times before, he's a great person, great player to have on your team and not very fun to play against."

"He can do it all out there. he can pass, he can shoot, his presence on the ice has an impact on how you can play and how you play... that's a huge, huge thing that he does without even trying," linemate Pierre-Luc Dubois added. "... He's been one of our pillars."

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Now 30 years old and a father, there's no denying that Wilson is a different player and person than he was when he entered the league, and he's also the glue that keeps the Capitals locker room together.

He'll also lay everything on the line for his teammates, as he did when he scored two goals en route to a big win in Montreal in December, all after taking a puck to the face that shattered one of the bones in his sinus cavity.

"He's just an absolute nail gun," Brandon Duhaime added. "He's everything you want in a leader."

That dedication in itself is why he's the captain in waiting.

"He's one of the best leaders I've been around. He's a guy that when he speaks, he puts it into action. He's not going to tell someone to do something that he's not willing to do himself. That's the mark of a really good captain or really good leader," Lindgren said. "He's one of my best buddies on the team, got to know him really well here the last two and a half years. He's just a very competitive guy, but also, just a really, good solid guy as well, really good husband, really good father. He's a guy that we all listen to and look up to on this team."

"You know what kind of guy you're getting, you know what kind of teammate (he is) and everyone knows and sees that he wants the best for everyone," Carlson said. "He's been crucial."

For Wilson, though, it's all just part of the gig.

"You always put the pressure on yourself to keep getting better... It's always fun to reflect and think back on the fun journey but also think ahead and stay sharp," Wilson said, adding, "I just try and keep doing my thing and make sure we're keeping up the standard that it should be."