Wilson steels himself for another spring run
BioSteel session has become the pre-training camp hockey camp for the game’s stars
Tom Wilson was just a 16-year-old prospect when he first got into trainer Matt Nichol’s exclusive summer hockey camp, thanks to a good word put in for him by Maple Leafs legend Curtis Joseph.
Now Wilson, the Washington Capitals forward last seen around these parts putting a dagger through the Maple Leafs’ playoff hopes, is a stalwart in Nichol’s BioSteel Sports Pro Hockey Camp, which draws some of the biggest names in the sport, including Connor McDavid and Tyler Seguin.
“It’s a very tight-knit group,” Wilson says. “I love it. It gets you confident going into the year, which is all you really want.
“For me, I love the gym so much, the camp really amps it up. It’s a bit of a hectic week, but it’s fun and it gets you geared up for your team camp.”
Nichol was the Leafs’ physical trainer mostly through the Pat Quinn and Paul Maurice eras, and went out on his own when Ron Wilson came in as the Leafs’ coach. He developed BioSteel, a sports nutrition drink, and turned it into an international brand.
But training high-end hockey players is his forte. And his annual BioSteel camp at St. Michael’s serves as a reminder that summer is almost over and hockey is just around the corner.
“It’s a pre-training-camp camp and it comes at the perfect time because it’s time to get going, but there’s enough time for guys who are a step behind, who aren’t where they want to, to tweak it,” Nichol says.
Most players take a few weeks away from the rink after their season ends, but they have been skating informally around their hometowns for at least a month.
This week’s BioSteel camp, believed to be largest current gathering of NHL players anywhere at the moment, is reminder that things are going to amp up.
“You can have a great trainer, you can work hard on the ice yourself, but at this time of the year, it’s really important to see where you stand against players at your level,” Nichol says.
“(It’s a time) when you need to give and receive passes with NHL players. You need to skate at an NHL speed. Goalies need shots from NHL shooters. Shooters need to shoot on NHL goalies.”
Wilson was reached on the phone, but he certainly sounded like he had a smile on his face as he recalled the Capitals-Leafs playoff series. Washington won in six games, but five of the six went to overtime.
“When I look back in my career that is probably going to be one of the highlights, to play in the playoffs when there is so much hype about the Leafs,” said Wilson, who grew up a fan of the team in Toronto. “It was a lot of fun. My family and friends had a blast. “We made good memories, which was a good thing. It could have gone the other way.”
Prior to the series, the physical forward had been dissed by Leafs coach Mike Babcock, who had suggested the Leafs had others on the highoctane Washington roster to worry about more than Wilson.
Wilson, of course, scored three times: the overtime winner in Game1 and two goals in Washington’s 5-4 win in Game 4.
The Capitals, however, were eliminated in the second round, disappointing their fans by losing for the second year in a row to the Pittsburgh Penguins after leading all teams in the regular season. There were calls for massive changes in Washington, but Wilson said the team remains strong.
“You win the Presidents’ Trophy two years in a row, which is hard to do, that’s a big accomplishment,” Wilson said. “It’s frustrating when you don’t have the success you want when it counts. But we still have a good team.
“You got to get to the dance. That’s where stuff happens. Every year is different. Another kick at the can. Guys are ready to get back after it.”
Wilson acknowledged there is a feel of a rivalry when he thinks of a Washington-Toronto game, which may be a good thing since the two teams will play an outdoor game this season at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md.
“That’ll be exciting,” Wilson said. “There’s a rivalry there, so let’s keep it going. It’s fine by me. It’s fun to play the Leafs.”