Tom Wilson Skates Ahead Of Capitals Practice

ARLINGTON, V.A. — After a long All-Star Break and time to recover, Tom Wilson returned to the ice ahead of practice the Washington Capitals, marking his first time skating since suffering a lower-body injury eight games into his return from offseason ACL surgery.

He took things slow and was cautious, and as his teammates went to the other rink, he stayed on for a few minutes of work by himself before heading off. He remains day-to-day, per head coach Peter Laviolette, but him being on the ice was a good sign.

Wilson made his long-awaited return to the lineup back on Jan. 8 against the Columbus Blue Jackets. He was starting to find his rhythm with two goals and an assist as he found chemistry playing on a line with Nicklas Backstrom and Sonny Milano, but he suffered a setback on Jan. 24 against the Colorado Avalanche.

In the second period, Wilson was in the defensive zone and blocked a Brad Hunt slapshot from close range. He went down in visible discomfort and was slow to get up, hobbling before gliding to the bench and subsequently heading down the tunnel. Prior to the break, he was still around the facility but did not take the ice, and although he wasn't in a boot, he had a hitch in his step.

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Getting Wilson back will be vital for Washington, who will have to make a strong playoff push down the stretch with little room for error as the race intensifies in the east.

The 28-year-old is also determined to recapture his play from last season, which led to a career-high 28 goals and 52 points and led him to the 2022 NHL All-Star Weekend. Wilson's memorable 2021-22 campaign came to an end when he tore his ACL in the opening minutes of Game 1 of the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs after scoring the series-opening goal for the Capitals against the Florida Panthers.