Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson made it clear that he only wanted to put on a Capitals sweater for the rest of his hockey career. D.C. was his home for the last 10 years, and he didn’t want to change that.
“I kind of expressed that I wanted to be there. I think the team met us on that and then we just figured it everything pretty quickly and got it done before the season so I love it there,” Wilson said on the 32 Thoughts podcast with Elliotte Friedman and Jeff Marek. “It’s where I always wanted to be and the team kind of reciprocated that and got it done.”
Even though the Caps made it clear to the public that there was mutual interest in bringing Wilson back, rumors started to swirl. None bigger than former Ottawa Senators defenseman Jason York, who allegedly heard that the Senators and Capitals were talking about a potential deal on the Coming in Hot podcast.
Former #Sens D Jason York, speaking on a show he does Monday, with a local podcaster, said he’s hearing the Washington Capitals would like to make a deal to send rugged winger Tom Wilson to Ottawa. If that’s the case, he’d be a solid addition.
— Bruce Garrioch (@SunGarrioch) June 26, 2023
Wilson put those rumors to bed by signing a seven-year, $45.5 million extension. It was only a matter of time before a new deal would be announced, but the storylines surrounding Wilson’s future made the Caps act quicker.
“I mean, you never really try and think about it too much. When you wake up and Twitter’s buzzing kind of randomly about LA or Ottawa or wherever it is, it’s kind of fun,” Wilson said. “It’s part of the gig. But I think everybody knew I wanted to stay in D.C.”
Though at one point, the 29-year-old texted his agent and the Capitals PR staff to make sure that none of the rumors were true.
“He said, ‘Don’t worry, Elliotte’s taking care of it. We’re talking to [general manager Brian MacLellan] and all that,” Wilson said with a chuckle. “Often where there’s smoke, there’s fire. You never really know I’m sure there’s a little bit of that. It’s part of the business but I was happy to kind of put that all to bed and get to stay in DC.”
While Wilson found the rumors humorous, MacLellan wasn’t so fond. According to Friedman, he’s been known to have a bit of a temper and has a trademark death stare. He was aggressively pushing back the rumors. Wilson also mentioned that when he signed his first big contract back in 2018, MacLellan said “Alright, don’t make me look bad.” Safe to say he lived up to that.
Capitals GM Brian MacLellan squashes Tom Wilson Trade Rumors Again
Back in the 2021-22 season, the NHL was supposed to return to the Olympics. However, COVID-19 breakouts among teams forced the league to backout. As teams were putting together rosters, Wilson was a dark horse candidate to join Team Canada. Though he was not told directly that he would be on the roster, it was a shock to him considering the superstar talent that he could have played with.
“What I was told the last time was there were a couple guys left for one spot and I was still at the table,” Wilson said. “It’s pretty crazy for me because Team Canada is just like a different monster, right?…. To be in that room with the caliber of players that were on those calls and doing some of the meetings leading up to the Olympics was definitely kind of a pinch me moment.”
A big storyline that Wilson mentioned was the possibility of succeeding Alex Ovechkin as the next captain of the franchise. He mentioned during his press conference after he signed the new contract that Ovechkin has been helping him become a leader. Wilson describes the Capitals captain as someone who cares deeply about his team, his teammates and the game of hockey.
“He’s had numerous conversations with me over the years. How to be better, how to make my game better, how to be a better leader from his eyes,” Wilson said. “We grew up on opposite sides of the world and we’re different people and he’s always trying to help me in whatever way he can.”
The Capitals begin the regular season against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Oct. 13 at Capital One Arena.
By Jacob Cheris