Washington Capitals: Tom Wilson realizing potential on top forward line

Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson has found a home on the first forward line, flanking two NHL All-Stars. 

Ask any Washington Capitals fan who the most frustrating player in the NHL is. The nearly unanimous answer would be forward Tom Wilson. While he has proven himself to be an NHL caliber forward, his inconsistency and lack of discipline have hurt his team (and others). Going into this season, many thought this would be Wilson’s last chance to prove himself to the Capitals. That’s precisely what he’s doing.

The Caps have struggled to find consistency this season. Only recently have they found it. It’s not a coincidence the Caps have been about as consistent as they’ve been all season since Wilson started playing with Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom after a loss to the Calgary Flames on Nov. 20.

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Since then, the Capitals have gone 6-1-0. In seven games with Ovechkin and Backstrom, Wilson has six points (two goals and four assists). Before the switch, he had played over 16 minutes a game just once in his first 18 games. Since then, Wilson has played over 16 minutes in each game sans a 3-1 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Backstrom and Ovechkin have been ignited by their reunion, which should come as no surprise given their history together. The latter has eight goals and 12 points in seven games while the former has a goal and eight points.

Wilson has gotten playing time with Ovechkin and Backstrom in the past, getting just over six total hours at even strength with them from 2014-15 to 2016-17. Their underlying numbers were very good, but they simply didn’t score.

This time around, the trio is putting up impressive numbers. In 92 minutes at even strength, the trio is dominating possession even more than they did in the past. But more importantly, Ovechkin, Backstrom, and Wilson have been producing. They’ve been on the ice together for six goals for and just one goal against, giving them a goals for percentage of 85.71 percent.

So what has been the difference? The eye test suggests Wilson’s playing a big role in it. Before, he seemed uncomfortable with Ovechkin and Backstrom, perhaps thinking too much about how to fit with them. Lately, Wilson has just been doing what he does best – grind and retrieve the puck. Backstrom is Joe Thornton-esque with his distributing. Ovechkin is the best goal scorer in the world. Wilson’s focusing on retrieving pucks and when necessary, taking advantage of teams forgetting he’s on the ice.

Here’s a great example of this from the Capitals’ recent 6-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks, during which the 2012 first round pick picked up the first four-point game of his NHL career.

Even before this season, Wilson showed progress, becoming an impressive penalty killer. Yes, he’s still as frustrating as ever with the penalties. But with Ovechkin and Backstrom, Wilson is at least committing them at a much lesser rate. He’s still going to go after you if you get one of his guys (just ask Joe Thornton) but he’s been much more disciplined on the top forward line.

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Wilson’s been a victim of bad circumstances for a majority of his NHL career until this season. Being rushed in and pounded into an enforcer role as a teenager certainly did him no good. But when the Capitals have needed him the most, Wilson’s beginning to look like that power forward the Caps saw in 2012.