Washington Capitals rumors: Tom Wilson seeking long-term deal

Though the Washington Capitals would love to sign restricted free agent Tom Wilson to a long-term deal, the two sides aren’t close

The Washington Capitals may be the reigning Stanley Cup champions, but the offseason hasn’t been easy for them. General Manager Brian MacLellan had to get over his championship hangover quickly in order to keep his team’s key pieces together.

Despite head coach Barry Trotz suddenly departing, the Caps have checked off most of their offseason to-do list. They’ve found Trotz’s replacement in Todd Reirden. Against all odds, the Capitals even found a way to keep free agents John Carlson and Michal Kempny on the team.

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However, one daunting task remains for the Caps. Forward Tom Wilson is one of the most polarizing players in the NHL because of his physicality and his history of questionable at best hits. The Capitals face the difficult task of signing him to an extension without the help of arbitration.

According to Isabelle Khurshudyan of The Washington Post, the two sides aren’t close to agreeing to a deal.

Usually, arbitration serves as a last resort in these situations. A judge rules on how much a player will be paid and for how long (either one or two years). However, Wilson didn’t file for arbitration and neither did the Capitals.

It’s understandable why Wilson would want to avoid arbitration. A large portion of the value he brings while he’s on the ice aren’t things you can quantify. And though Wilson had a solid season, setting career highs with 14 goals, 21 assists, and 35 points, his resume before last season isn’t impressive. This would likely lead to a sub-optimal ruling from the judge, at least from Wilson’s perspective.

From the Capitals’ perspective, they want to sign him long-term. An arbitration hearing conflicts with this goal. Arbitration is also a lengthy, awkward process that some teams prefer to avoid. The Capitals last went to arbitration with forward Marcus Johansson back in 2015. They nearly did the same in 2016 but worked out a three-year deal with him beforehand.

Without arbitration, there’s nothing to motivate either side to hammer out a deal right now. Things could get dicey if there isn’t a deal worked out by September. But it wouldn’t be the first time the Capitals have gone to the wire with a restricted free agent.

Back in 2016, defenseman Dmitry Orlov, like Wilson, didn’t file for arbitration and neither did the team. It took them until September 21 to work something out. Fans might also remember John Carlson taking until September of 2012 to sign his six-year deal, but of course, that was before the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season, which didn’t start until January. That was also under previous general manager George McPhee.

Unlike two years ago, the Capitals have no issues with cap space. Wilson and defenseman Madison Bowey are their only two remaining restricted free agents. The latter won’t require a significant deal. Washington has over $8 million in cap space, so that won’t be an issue with signing Wilson.

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Both sides appear to desire a long-term deal, so they’re likely disputing the total amount of money involved. But at least the Capitals and Wilson are both on board with a long-term deal, so that’s a good sign.

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