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Skating in just the second NHL game of his career, Tom Wilson immediately saw his role on the team expanded. Wilson got a lot more ice time and more of the same with: big hits and strong skating.
For the most part, at least. Wilson lost a skate blade after a collision with Ryan McDonagh and had to hobble his hulking frame back to the bench like a goofball.
Photo credit: Chris Gordon
It’s been a crazy weekend for Tom Wilson. Friday night, he made his NHL debut in game 5 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals. Sunday afternoon, he’ll take the ice for his second big league game, this time at the famed Madison Square Garden. It’s a lot of pressure for a guy barely out of high school. How does he handle it?
“It’s unbelievable, a dream come,” he said before his inaugural game. “I’m really excited to hopefully get a nap in and just get to it.”
Photo credit: Greg Fiume
Tom Wilson is barely 19 years old. Most kids his age spend their Friday nights drinking at parties in their precious time off from contributing nothing at all to society. Yeah, you know who you are.
Wilson, though, is bettering our world — he’s a hockey player after all — and he made his NHL debut Friday night. Granted, he skated a team low 6:24, but he threw a few nice hits and pushed some Rangers around after the whistle — typical fourth line stuff. His play wasn’t particularly interesting. The game it came in, though, was. The Caps won game 5 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals in overtime to take a 3-2 series lead.
“It was unbelievable — chills,” Wilson told me of his debut, repeating a version of that line countless times while standing in the far corner of the Capitals locker room at Verizon Center. “It was everything I imagined; it was a dream come true.”
Photo credit: Chris Gordon
Tom Wilson has had a crazy year. He’s played for both the Plymouth Whalers of the OHL and the Hershey Bears of the AHL. Now, after scoring a hat trick with Plymouth a few weeks ago against Dale Hunter’s London Knights and scoring his first professional goal with Hershey Sunday, Wilson will make his NHL debut Friday against the New York Rangers in game five.
Photo credit: Tom Wilson
Digging up embarrassing photos and videos of new hires and signings is a thing we like to do here at RMNB. Recall last summer, when George McPhee hired Adam Oates as the team’s new head coach we shared video of Oates guest-starring in an episode of Nickelodeon’s GUTS. With 19-year-old Tom Wilson joining the Capitals and potentially making his debut in game five on Friday night, here’s a photo of Wilson fishing as a kid.
The Hershey Bears ended their season last night. Martin Erat might have done that as well when he slammed his wrist into the net. As a result, the Capitals have recalled youngling Tom Wilson and former NHL player Joey Crabb from the Hershey Bears.
Are these our 2013 black aces, or will Wilson or Crabb see some play? Will Aaron Volpatti go from waiver wire to playoff hockey in the span of a few months? Will Wojtek Wolski ever play again?
P.S. Ovi for Lindsay.
Photo credit: Sweetest Hockey On Earth’s Kyle Mace
Washington Capitals 2012 first-round pick Tom Wilson has played just two games for the Hershey Bears, but he’s already made a huge impact. After scoring 9 goals (including a hat trick) and 17 points in 12 playoff games with the OHL’s Plymouth Whalers, Wilson scored his first professional goal on Sunday for the Hershey Bears. And it happened because he got under the skin of 2011-12 AHL leading scorer Chris Bourque.
Happy playoffs, hockey people!
On this very special day, we’re releasing a bunch of new shirts to the RMNB store– and we’re sure you’ll love at least one of them. If you’re into Perreault’s post-game celebrations, The Wagon, or meteors, we’ve got a shirt for you. And if you hate Pennsylvania (and who doesn’t?), we’ve got you covered as well. Seven new shirts in all, in men’s and women’s cuts, all printed on the finest natural synthetic fabrics available.
Wwith Mother’s day coming up, all Women’s tees are 15% off. Just use the coupon code MOTHER2013 during check-out.
We’re real proud of this new batch of shirts. Take a look and let us know what you think!
Photo credit: Mike Hensen
After a thrilling third period comeback against the London Knights, the Plymouth Whalers wilted in overtime to Dale Hunter’s crew, 5-4. The game five loss in the OHL’s Western Conference Finals ended Plymouth’s season. The good news for Caps fans is that because of the Whalers early exit, 2012 first-round pick Tom Wilson will be able to make his debut in the Capitals organization imminently.
Way back on March 29th when Washington Capitals General Manager George McPhee addressed the media in a 40-minute long fireside chat, he was asked bluntly if he’d like Wilson join the Bears after his season ended in Plymouth. McPhee reponded,”Mm-hmm. Yeah.”
“To bring the kid straight to the NHL — maybe he’s ready for the NHL — but I’d rather him start in Hershey and see how it goes,” McPhee explained. “If he’s good enough to play here, you can make a change. It helps everyone to spend a little time in the minors.”
A few minutes after Plymouth’s loss Friday, the voice of the Bears, Scott Stuccio, confirmed what McPhee said, expecting Wilson to join Hershey in their playoff series against the Providence Bruins.
Photo credit: OHL
After netting a hat trick against the London Knights in game 2 of the OHL Western Conference Finals, Tom Wilson has continued to bolster his status as an elite playoff performer.
Wilson, whose tremendous play in last year’s postseason secured him a spot in the draft’s first round, scored three more goals in the next two games. Both times Wilson’s goals helped to build Plymouth’s comeback efforts, but the Knights took the lead back and won. In both games, the final score was 6-4 London.
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