Colin Wilson was Nashville’s MVP in the first half before suffering a season-ending injury at the hands of the Minnesota Wild. Was that performance a 25-game hot streak, or a sign that he has matured into a reliable Top Six forward?
Fancy Stats
| 5-on-5 Usage | ||||
| EV TOI/Gm | OZ % | QoT | QoC | |
| 14:11 | 50.6 | +0.41 | +0.60 | |
| Individual | Team Metrics | |||
| 5-5 Shots/60 | 5-5 Pts/60 | Corsi On | Corsi Rel | |
| 3.56 | 1.96 | +1.78 | +10.90 | |
| Power Play | Penalty Kill | |||
| PP TOI/Gm | 5-4 GF On/60 | 5-4 Pts/60 | PK TOI/Gm | 4-5 GA On/60 |
| 2:22 | 6.17 | 6.17 | 0:00 | 0.00 |
| Penalty Plus/Minus | Favor of the Hockey Gods | |||
| Taken | Drawn | On-Ice Sht% | On-Ice Sv% | PDO |
| 0.4 | 0.7 | 8.67 | 902 | 988 |
Explanation of table can be found at the end of Gabby Bourque’s review.
Wilson had an interesting season up until he got injured, as he carried over his strong performance in the possession stats from 2011-2012 and produced goals & assists at an impressive pace both at even strength and on the power play. The only point of concern (and it is a biggie) is that Willy didn’t fire many shots on net. The only reason he was on pace for a 30-goal season (projected to 82 games) is because of his ridiculous shooting percentage, which was nearly double his career average. Wilson is one of the few Predators with the ability to beat defenders one-on-one and create a scoring chance, but shouldn’t hesitate to take a shot if a less-then-optimal opportunity presents itself.
My Grade: A
Outlook
With Martin Erat gone, a featured role on the top line is up for grabs this fall, and Wilson is as well-positioned as anyone to take charge. There has been talk of playing him at center, but personally, I see his skating as a bit of an issue.
While his recovery from shoulder surgery appears to be going well, we can’t help but wonder if it will hamper him at the start of the 2013-14 season. In the long run, however, he should be a contender to lead the team in scoring.
2013 Highlight
Just look at the way Wilson lures Edmonton’s Theo Peckham into the corner before cutting back with a power move to the net, and marvel at the fact that he’ll only cost the Preds $2 million next season (and $2.5 million in 2014-15 before being eligible for Restricted Free Agency):
What grade would you give Colin Wilson’s 2013 season?
| A | 88 |
| B | 17 |
| C | 0 |
| D | 0 |
| E | 2 |