43 Tom Wilson RW

Capitals' Tom Wilson: Receives two-game preseason ban

As noted in the report, this was the first official safety ruling made by former NHL enforcer George Parros, who was recently hired in as the new Head of the Department of Player Safety. Upon further review, it was confirmed that Wilson had more than a full second to avoid the hit on Thomas, who had lost control of the puck along the side boards before getting drilled. There will only be two games left on the preseason docket for Wilson by the time he's eligible to return.

Capitals' Tom Wilson: Hearing scheduled following hit

Wilson leveled Thomas directly in front of the St. Louis bench after he appeared to have lost control of the puck. It will be interesting to see what the league has to say about the play.

Capitals' Tom Wilson: Buries empty-net goal Wednesday

The power forward is expected to contribute more offensively in 2017-18 following a strong postseason performance and the offseason departures of Marcus Johansson and Justin Williams. The 16th overall pick from the 2012 NHL Entry Draft is being considered for top-line duties alongside Alex Ovechkin and Evgeny Kuznetsov. Such an opportunity, combined with his prowess as a PIM and hit machine, could give the Toronto native a great deal of upside this season, so keep an eye on his role as the preseason wears on.

Capitals' Tom Wilson: Protected from Vegas

Young, physical and cheap, Wilson will be staying with the Caps for the time being. The 23-year-old posted 19 points, 239 hits and 133 PIM this season, finishing the season with a plus-9 rating. Washington knows what it is getting with Wilson, and that's a player that can play both ways and will be good for around 25 points for the next few years.

Capitals' Tom Wilson: Continues strong postseason play

The fourth-year pro is up to three goals in the series and also received a promotion to the third line for Game 4. Wilson has been pigeonholed into a bottom-six role to start his career, but don't forget, he was a first-round selection and posted 23 goals and 58 points through 48 games in his final season in the OHL. He owns untapped offensive potential.