Tom Wilson to Capitals: Video Highlights, Scouting Report and Analysis

Position: RW

Height/Weight: 6'4", 194 lbs.

Shoots: Right

DOB: 3/29/1994

Youth Team: Toronto Junior Canadian Minor Midget AAA

Current Team: Plymouth (OHL)

When a team drafts a forward fairly early in the NHL draft, it is normally hoping that said player will come an offensive force either by way of scoring goals or assisting teammates. Sometimes there is that rare forward that brings so many other attributes to the table that offensive production takes a bit of a backseat. Tom Wilson is certainly one of those types of players.

Wilson is coming off a strong second season with the Plymouth Whalers of the OHL, and while his 27 points in 49 games may not suggest that he that he had a great year, Wilson was an invaluable contributor. At 6'4" and 194 lbs, Wilson is one of the biggest forwards in the draft.

Size and strength are attributes that cannot be taught, and Wilson possesses both of them. Those things should ensure that Wilson eventually makes an NHL impact in some capacity.

Although Wilson isn't the type of guy who is going to light up the scoreboard, he had more than four times as many points in his second season with Plymouth than he did his first, so he is making strides.

Wilson also showed that he can elevate his play when the games matter most, as he scored seven goals and racked up 13 points in 13 playoff games. On top of that, Wilson was a combined plus-27 in the regular season and postseason this year, meaning that he is extremely responsible defensively.

The most intriguing part of Wilson's game is his physicality.

He uses his large frame to his advantage, as he enjoys plastering opponents into the boards and he is very adept at winning puck battles along the wall. Wilson also isn't afraid to drop the gloves and stick up for his teammates, as evidenced by his 141 penalty minutes on the season. Discipline may be a bit of a concern, but it's better to be overly physical than not physical enough in the NHL.

Wilson will have to improve his skating and must refine his goal-scoring touch as well, but he seemed to come along late in the season in both of those areas. Wilson seems like a sure bet to make some sort of an impact in the NHL, even if it is just as a third- or fourth-line winger, but he has the potential to be a 20-plus-goal scorer on the second line with a big-time gritty game to boot.