Caps re-sign Wilson to 6-year deal with $5.17M AAV
The Washington Capitals re-signed forward Tom Wilson to a six-year contract with an average annual value of $5.17 million, the team announced Friday.
The deal reportedly includes a modified no-trade clause in its final four years, according to Cap Friendly. For the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons, Wilson can submit a 10-team no-trade list, while in the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons, the no-trade list shrinks to seven teams.
Wilson, 24, is coming off a career year in which he tallied 14 goals and 35 points while primarily skating on the Caps' top line alongside Evgeny Kuznetsov and Alex Ovechkin. He cemented his breakout season with a stellar performance in the playoffs, contributing 15 points in 21 games.
While Wilson made strides offensively last year, physicality remains the name of his game. He racked up 187 penalty minutes and 250 hits last season and has become awfully familiar with the NHL Department of Player Safety over the course of his career.
Here's how Wilson's contract compares to similar deals signed by fellow restricted free agents this summer:
| Player | Pos. | Age | Cap Hit | Length | GP | G | A | P |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elias Lindholm | C/RW | 23 | $4.85M | 6 | 81 | 16 | 28 | 44 |
| J.T. Miller | C/LW | 25 | $5.25M | 5 | 82 | 23 | 35 | 58 |
| Jason Zucker | LW/RW | 26 | $5.5M | 5 | 82 | 33 | 31 | 64 |
| Tomas Hertl | C/LW | 24 | $5.625M | 4 | 79 | 22 | 24 | 46 |
Wilson doesn't have the same track record of production as those forwards, but with enforcers essentially extinct in the NHL, a player like him - who strikes fear into the opposition but can still skate and contribute offensively - is a rarity in today's game.
With Wilson's signing, the Caps have retained all of their RFAs. They only have $1.095 million in cap space, but they're bringing back the same team that won the Stanley Cup last season, minus fourth-line center Jay Beagle.