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Metropolitan Division: Each team’s breakout candidate for 2019-20.

By Cory Mello

SAN JOSE, CA - JANUARY 26: The Metropolitan Division All-Stars pose after winning the 2019 Honda NHL All-Star Game at SAP Center on January 26, 2019 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
SAN JOSE, CA - JANUARY 26: The Metropolitan Division All-Stars pose after winning the 2019 Honda NHL All-Star Game at SAP Center on January 26, 2019 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /
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Metropolitan Division
Photo by Mark Goldman/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images /

Washington Capitals – Tom Wilson

2018-19 Stats: 63 games played, 22 goals, 18 assists, 40 points

Whether you hate him, or love him, you can’t deny the impact Tom Wilson has for the Washington Capitals. In a league that has seen power-forwards become a thing of the past, Wilson has ushered the type of play that teams have opted to turn away from. Has he made some very dangerous hits that have led to suspensions? Of course, he has.

Despite his very questionable decisions on the ice, Wilson has become one of the most difficult players to play against. If you have your head down crossing the blue-line, just know Wilson is without a doubt not missing the opportunity to make his presence felt. With an agitating style of play, Wilson can back it up as well as he is regularly among the NHL’s leaderboard for fighting.

After being handed a 20-game suspension for his hit on Oskar Sundqvist in a preseason game, Wilson made up for time missed. He, however, did happen to appeal his suspension, but by the time there was a solution resolved, he only received one game off his suspension.

Once Wilson returned, he was paired with Alex Ovechkin, making him an instant grab in fantasy hockey. If you jumped ship early you would have reaped the benefits of doing so, as he was red hot scoring seven goals in nine games along with a few assists to go along.

Despite anyone’s opinions of Wilson, he is one of the best power-forwards in the NHL right now. Hitting 22 goals shows he can be an effective player without having to resort to only toughness. Wilson was averaging 18:09 TOI per game, playing on the top-line, as well as the power-play and penalty-kill.

If Wilson can play smart hockey and stay out of the box, there’s no reason why he can’t break out into the 30 goal plateau. He has all the necessary tools to do so and playing alongside Backstrom and Ovi makes him an intriguing pick in fantasy hockey.

At only 25, Wilson is entering the best years of his career right now. He will be entering the second year of his six-year contract with the Caps.

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