Photo: @Capitals
Washington Capitals right wing Tom Wilson recently chatted on the “Missin Curfew” podcast. This episode took place during the 2022 NHL All-Star Weekend in Las Vegas, which was Wilson’s first All-Star appearance.
He originally planned to spend the All-Star break in Florida with his fiancée Taylor Pischke and family but flew out Sin City as a late roster addition. Wilson mentioned his two brothers, Peter and James, attended the events:
found the wilson bros in the building! pic.twitter.com/dnDUbvBV88
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) February 5, 2022
Wilson expressed how excited he was to be a part of All-Star Weekend. He participated in the “Hardest Shot” competition, finishing third with a 101.1 mile-per-hour slapshot. In the Pacific vs. Metropolitan Semifinal, he scored the opening goal of the All-Star Game.
#NHLAllStar CHAMPIONS‼️ pic.twitter.com/xmvVmz9aZ9
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) February 5, 2022
Wilson also discussed physicality in the game throughout the league. “There still are those games where you get the juices flowing and the emotions in the game, and that’s always going to be there in hockey I think, but yeah, it’s getting fast. There’s a lot of skill out there. Some nights you don’t even get hit…whereas when I was coming in the league, it’s like the wall plays you’re getting crushed on every puck, so it’s changed a lot.”
“They are playing the game not expecting to get hit, and that’s the biggest problem is they’re going into areas that guys never used to go into…sometimes I’ve even got to yell at the guy that I’m coming at them,” he said about players having their head down and not noticing an oncoming check.
“Gone are the days where guys fly in and finish on the forecheck. I feel like it’s harder and guys are expecting it too—drawing penalties and stuff [are] huge now…guys get bumped and they get a little extra into the board.”
Wilson implied he enjoys the Vegas road games, especially during the pre-game skate. “First time I played in Vegas, after warmups I was gassed. You’re out there flying. The tunes are like maxed out. It’s buzzing in there.” He said his “legs were heavy” by the time he returned to the locker room, adding, “I left it out there in warmups because I was so fired up.”
You can listen to the full episode on Spotify here.
By Della Young
“…sometimes I’ve even got to yell at the guy that I’m coming at them,” he said about players having their head down and not noticing an oncoming check.
Huh, that’s interesting! So Whip sometimes gives them warning with a yell of “Incoming!” or a “heads up!” ??? That kind of refutes this whole thing about him being the dirtiest of the dirt, he’s a scumbag, he should be kicked out of the league and blah blah blah… I mean, he’s not spearing goalies in the face or sneaking a punch at them like Marchand.