Tom Wilson: The unsung hero of the Capitals' second line?

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article_body => "After losing two consecutive games in regulation, Barry Trotz elected to switch up his lines to generate a spark from the team. Of the changes he made, one of the most surprising was moving right wing Tom Wilson to the second line with Marcus Johansson and Evgeny Kuznetsov.<\/p>\nThe results speak for themselves. The second line has combined for 11 points in three games and the team has gone 3-0-0.<\/p>\nWilson may have contributed only one of those 11 points, a goal in Vancouver, but he certainly has not looked out of place despite the increased minutes and responsibility.<\/p>\n"When I put him up there, I just said you've just got to stay to your identity," head coach Barry Trotz said Thursday. "Stay to your identity, get the puck to the skill guys, head to the hard areas and get your stick down because they're going to put it on your stick and when you least expect that puck to come, it's going to be coming.<\/p>\n"That's probably as simple as you could keep it with those guys and they seem to have some chemistry."<\/p>\nWhat's helping is the focus Wilson has put on evolving his game offensively and play more responsible hockey.<\/p>\nWilson led the Caps in penalty minutes last season with 163 and while you think that is just because of fighting majors, you would be wrong. Wilson also led the team in minors taken with 44.<\/p>\nSo far this season, Wilson has taken only 10 PIMs and no minor penalties.<\/p>\n"You never want to take a penalty," Wilson said. "I've been trying to play a little more hockey and evolve my role on the team kind of offensively. Ii've been playing with Kuzy and Jojo. You want to kind of keep the lines intact when you can, you don't want to be messing things up going to the box."<\/p>\nThat was an important step for Wilson who seemed to have a negative reputation around the league which contributed to some questionable penalty calls. But Wilson's efforts to evolve his game have not gone unnoticed by the refs, says Trotz. <\/p>\n"Even a few of the referees last year at the end of the year were coming over to me and just saying that young Wilson kid, he's playing, he's getting better. And I think he was earning their respect is what they were really saying if you read between the lines. That's all on Tom."<\/p>\nStaying out of the penalty box is an important step, but for a player to stay in the top six, he needs to be able to contribute. Not holding the line back is not enough of a reason to keep him on the top six.<\/p>\nWhile you may not be able to see it on the scoresheet, Wilson's presence has certainly made an impact.<\/p>\n"I think that's a bit of a different look to a line that other teams have seen," Wilson said. "There's Kuzy and Jojo, such skilled point players, and now they've got a right winger that's going to go in, be hard on the forecheck and create a little bit of havoc for the other team. You see it over the three games, I'm going to the net and Jojo gets open or I'm going to the net and Kuzy finds me."<\/p>\nWhile he may not be dropping the gloves as much, there's no denying Wilson's toughness. In today's NHL, however, players need to be able to do more than just fight. He's showing he can, but being part of the most productive trio the team has seen at any point over the course of the young season.<\/p>\nBut test him because he's still ready to drop the gloves if need be.<\/p>\n"The fighting majors are the fighting majors," Wilson said. "That comes and that doesn't hurt the team really. For me, I don't want to be sitting in the box for five minutes when I could be out there with Kuzy and Jojo and helping contribute to the team offense and team wins.<\/p>\n"When that needs to happen it'll happen. Other than that, I'm going to try and stay out of there as much as possible."<\/p>\nMORE CAPITALS: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnmidatlantic.com\/washington-capitals\/penn-quarter-qa-will-caps-change-things-their-rematch-jets\">Q&A: Will Caps change things up for their rematch with the Jets?<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n"
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Capitals

After losing two consecutive games in regulation, Barry Trotz elected to switch up his lines to generate a spark from the team. Of the changes he made, one of the most surprising was moving right wing Tom Wilson to the second line with Marcus Johansson and Evgeny Kuznetsov.

The results speak for themselves. The second line has combined for 11 points in three games and the team has gone 3-0-0.

Wilson may have contributed only one of those 11 points, a goal in Vancouver, but he certainly has not looked out of place despite the increased minutes and responsibility.

"When I put him up there, I just said you've just got to stay to your identity," head coach Barry Trotz said Thursday. "Stay to your identity, get the puck to the skill guys, head to the hard areas and get your stick down because they're going to put it on your stick and when you least expect that puck to come, it's going to be coming.

"That's probably as simple as you could keep it with those guys and they seem to have some chemistry."

What's helping is the focus Wilson has put on evolving his game offensively and play more responsible hockey.

Wilson led the Caps in penalty minutes last season with 163 and while you think that is just because of fighting majors, you would be wrong. Wilson also led the team in minors taken with 44.

So far this season, Wilson has taken only 10 PIMs and no minor penalties.

"You never want to take a penalty," Wilson said. "I've been trying to play a little more hockey and evolve my role on the team kind of offensively. Ii've been playing with Kuzy and Jojo. You want to kind of keep the lines intact when you can, you don't want to be messing things up going to the box."

That was an important step for Wilson who seemed to have a negative reputation around the league which contributed to some questionable penalty calls. But Wilson's efforts to evolve his game have not gone unnoticed by the refs, says Trotz.

"Even a few of the referees last year at the end of the year were coming over to me and just saying that young Wilson kid, he's playing, he's getting better. And I think he was earning their respect is what they were really saying if you read between the lines. That's all on Tom."

Staying out of the penalty box is an important step, but for a player to stay in the top six, he needs to be able to contribute. Not holding the line back is not enough of a reason to keep him on the top six.

While you may not be able to see it on the scoresheet, Wilson's presence has certainly made an impact.

"I think that's a bit of a different look to a line that other teams have seen," Wilson said. "There's Kuzy and Jojo, such skilled point players, and now they've got a right winger that's going to go in, be hard on the forecheck and create a little bit of havoc for the other team. You see it over the three games, I'm going to the net and Jojo gets open or I'm going to the net and Kuzy finds me."

While he may not be dropping the gloves as much, there's no denying Wilson's toughness. In today's NHL, however, players need to be able to do more than just fight. He's showing he can, but being part of the most productive trio the team has seen at any point over the course of the young season.

But test him because he's still ready to drop the gloves if need be.

"The fighting majors are the fighting majors," Wilson said. "That comes and that doesn't hurt the team really. For me, I don't want to be sitting in the box for five minutes when I could be out there with Kuzy and Jojo and helping contribute to the team offense and team wins.

"When that needs to happen it'll happen. Other than that, I'm going to try and stay out of there as much as possible."

MORE CAPITALS: Q&A: Will Caps change things up for their rematch with the Jets?