NHL insider heaps rare praise on Capitals' Tom Wilson: 'He's a unicorn'

NHL insider Kevin Weekes described Wilson as a "rare" player, likening him to a "unicorn" for his balance of toughness and scoring prowess in the latter years of his career.

"He's one of the rare players in today's game that harkens back to power forwards of generations past," Weekes said. "He can beat you up in a fight, he can run you over with a hit, he can skate with you, he can think the game, he can score, so it's a very rare commodity in today's game."

Wilson has made most headlines for his rough hits, some resulting in suspensions — five to be exact. But he hasn't had a run-in with the league's Player Safety office since 2021, suggesting he's found the happy medium in his aggressive style.

"You don't have many of those guys skating around," Weeks continued. "They're rare ... I've loved him since he's come in the league ... he's a game changer for [Washington]."

And changed the Capitals' game he has. Washington (5-1-0) is off to its hottest start to a season since 2015-16, the year it won the franchise's second President's Trophy.