ARLINGTON, V.A. — Washington Capitals winger Tom Wilson made the most of his week and a half away from the rink, heading down to Mexico with his family and volunteering at Wolf Trap Animal Rescue, too. However, he admitted part of him did want to be a part of the 4 Nations Face-Off.
Wilson did tune into the best-on-best tournament, watching the USA vs. Canada game on Saturday that began with three fights in the opening seconds of play, and expressed his desire to be playing for his country in that instance.
"I was sitting on my couch before the game, and it kind of hit me," Wilson said. "I was like, 'God, I want to be playing in that game.'
"I loved it," he added. "I think it was one of the best hockey games to watch in a long time. Two countries that don't like each other, it was hockey, it was a little bit of everything... that rivalry, there's nothing better."
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Wilson had reportedly drawn interest from Team Canada but did not earn an invite to the tournament, nor did any other members of the Capitals roster.
Through 55 games this season, the 30-year-old has 24 goals and 18 assists for 42 points, along with a team-leading 156 hits. He is on pace for a career-high 63 points.
Though Wilson didn't get to play in the tournament, he did enjoy the chance to catch his breath and take some time away from the game. And while he doesn't know if the extra rest will necessarily benefit the team more, it did offer the opportunity to hit reset.
"It's nice to get a break. For (those playing in the tournament), you could look at it the other way; they're still dialed in, they're still playing hockey, they're going to be sharp, they're not going to have any rest," Wilson pointed out. "You got to be ready for that right out of the gate, but I think it'll pay dividends down the line, having a few days off to let the body repair itself."