Capitals' Tom Wilson reveals his "biggest and wildest dream" with Olympics around the corner

Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson opened up about his ultimate Olympic dream on Thursday at the Capitals' training camp.

Wilson is among the 92 NHL women’s and Para hockey players taking part in Team Canada’s orientation camp ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics. He said that the opportunity has only fueled his determination, which he called his "biggest and wildest dream".

“It really makes you want to put your head down and just work as hard as you can to put yourself in the conversation for making the Olympic team. It’s a goal, for sure,” Wilson said. “I think (if) you ask most guys in that room at orientation, they want it more than anything in the world. They want to play for Team Canada at the Olympics and try and win a gold medal.“

Wilson called it one of the ultimate childhood dreams alongside winning the Stanley Cup. He also noted that simply being in the conversation for a spot on Team Canada is special but emphasized that everyone at camp wants it just as much and that they’re among the best players in the league.

Wilson added that his focus remains on helping the Capitals first:

“I think I’ll just focus on the Caps, focus on what we’re doing here. And if we play well and I play well and help the team, the rest will hopefully take care of itself.”

He's coming off a strong 2023–24 season, posting 33 goals and 65 points in 81 games, along with seven points in 10 playoff appearances.

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Tom Wilson on Alex Ovechkin turning 40

Alex Ovechkin celebrated his 40th birthday on Sept. 17. Capitals teammate Tom Wilson praised his longevity and performance. Wilson noted that even at 31, the game takes a toll on the body, making Ovechkin’s continued dominance remarkable.

“He's the Goat, so he can just keep playing and scoring goals and he's still flying out there so pretty darn impressive. Just his mentality and his physical, you know, perseverance just to keep going and do what he's doing is, I mean, there's really now words to describe it,” Wilson said.

Tom Wilson pointed out that most players can’t even imagine playing at 40, let alone putting up 44 goals with an injury the way Ovechkin did last season, calling him a “machine.”

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Edited by Bhargav