Capitals sign Tom Wilson to seven-year, $45.5M extension

Tom Wilson will don a Washington Capitals uniform for the foreseeable future. The Capitals announced Wilson signed a seven-year extension worth $45.5 million. The deal keeps him under contract through the 2030-31 season.

The 29-year-old Wilson was entering the final year of his $31 million, six-year deal.

Under the extension, set to kick in for the 2024-25 season, Wilson will incur a $6.5 million annual average salary and cap hit.

According to Cap Friendly, he will receive a base salary of $4 million plus a $5 million signing bonus starting in 2024-25.

Wilson’s base salary will drop to $900,000 in the 2029-30 season. The deal also includes a partial no-trade clause. For years 1-4, Wilson will submit a 15-team no-trade clause list. For the final three years of the deal, he’ll give a 10-team list.

Tom Wilson is entering his 11th season with the Capitals. The 2021-22 season was his best statistical campaign. He collected 24 goals and 28 assists in 78 games. However, he suffered a torn ACL in the playoffs.

The surgery and rehab kept him off the ice at the start of last season. He was limited to 33 games, registering 13 goals and nine assists while racking 78 penalty minutes. Wilson expects to be at full strength at the start of this upcoming season.

Wilson had five goals and ten assists during the Capitals’ run to the Stanley Cup championship in 2018. He’s tallied 128 goals and 167 assists in 680 career games.

His physical style of play has drawn criticism around the league. He’s been suspended five times for illegal contact. Yet, it’s his physicality that has endeared him to Capitals fans.

Now he’ll continue his career “rocking the red” of the Caps. A deal of this magnitude signals Wilson is tabbed as the future face of the franchise. He may possibly be the next team captain, following Alex Ovechkin’s departure.