To nobody’s surprise, Tom Wilson has been in the middle of it all throughout the Washington Capitals’ first-round series with the Montreal Canadiens.
The power forward is a rare breed in today’s NHL, possessing a combination of skill, strength, and intimidation that can have an impact on every aspect of the game.
It was on full display during Washington’s 6-3 loss in Game 3 on Friday night. Wilson provided his typical physical presence all night long and was involved in a wild fight with Josh Anderson that escalated into the Capitals’ bench at the end of the second period. As the mayhem settled down, cameras panned to Wilson, who appeared to be mocking a player on the Canadiens with a fake crying face.
Wilson spoke to the media on Sunday afternoon and was asked about the viral video of his fake crying following the brawl. Reporter Tarik El-Bashir shared the clip of his response on X (formerly Twitter).
“Yeah, it was for one guy. I wasn’t doing it to their whole team, it was for one guy. I’m not gonna say who, but he knows who it was. Obviously the camera was right on me, so I guess I should probably just shut up sometimes,” Wilson said.
“But, like I said, emotions get high. You know, they’re playing hard, we’re playing hard. It’s been fun hockey so far, and we’ll keep it going,” Wilson added.
El-Bashir added that he suspects the ‘one guy’ Wilson was referring to is Juraj Slafkovsky.
Tom Wilson has registered two points (two assists) and 10 hits through the first three games of their first-round series against the Canadiens.
Tom Wilson shattered his career highs in 2024-25
Tom Wilson had a tremendous 2024-25 regular season.
The 31-year-old racked up 65 points (33 goals, 32 assists) in 81 games, blowing by his previous best of 52 points from the 2021-22 campaign. He, of course, piled up another 233 hits and 100 penalty minutes throughout the year.
Wilson provided the Washington Capitals with tremendous value in the first season of his seven-year, $45,500,000 contract extension signed in 2023. After entering the NHL as a bottom-six grinder, he’s now become one of the more valuable players in the entire league.
Wilson and the Capitals will look to take a 3-1 series lead over the Montreal Canadiens in Game 4 on Sunday night. The puck drops at 6:30 p.m. EST at the Bell Centre.
Edited by Jackson Weber