Tom Wilson opens up about Team Canada snub for 4 Nations Face-Off

Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson expressed his disappointment over not being selected for Team Canada’s roster at the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament in February.

Despite his impressive performances in the NHL, Wilson was not selected to join the star-studded lineup that featured the likes of Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid, Mitch Marner, Brad Marchand and Nathan MacKinnon.

"All I could think about is that I wished I was there. So much. So badly," Wilson told NHL.com on Wednesday. "Obviously, it's a dream your whole life to be mentioned in that type of realm of the guys with that type of pedigree."

The 4 Nations Face-Off delivered plenty of excitement. With the Canada-U.S. round-robin matchup turning into an instant classic. Canada edged out the U.S. 3-2 in the final.

Tom Wilson understands that just being in the conversation for a spot on the national team is an honor in itself.

“I was a little bummed not to be part of it. And then, leading up to it, I was like, ‘You know what? I’ll enjoy the break and not think too much about it.’"

Now, Wilson's shifts his focus to the upcoming Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. He hopes to have another chance to represent his country.

"I'm just going to try and play as well as I can up until the final team is announced and put my name in the hat," he added.

Tom Wilson is likely to be in the mix for a roster spot as Canada gears up for its Olympic training camp in Calgary next month.

---

Tom Wilson on becoming an "enforcer"

When asked how his role has evolved from being an enforcer earlier in his career, Tom Wilson highlighted how crucial confidence is to succeeding in the NHL. He explained:

“Seeing pucks go into the net definitely helps in that regard. Over my time in the NHL, I’ve been blessed with some great coaches and teammates that helped give me more responsibility on the ice... And for me, I think the biggest thing was just trying to take advantage of that.”

Wilson credits veteran players Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, T.J. Oshie, and Evgeny Kuznetsov for helping him as a player and for having a successful career so far.