In Washington Capitals locker room, DJ Tom Wilson plays to please

Sammi Silber

In Washington Capitals locker room, DJ Tom Wilson plays to please image

ARLINGTON -- After a long hour of skating at the Washington Capitals’ practice in Arlington, Virginia, the players gradually make their way to the locker room. If you listen closely, beyond the chatter between teammates and sound of sticks clattering against the wall, you can hear music playing faintly in the background, usually courtesy of one of Washington’s locker room DJs.

“There’s a lot of quiet time if we don’t do it,” defenseman Matt Niskanen said after unlacing his skates.

Being a team DJ is not a simple task, not as easy as compiling a bunch of songs and pressing 'play.' In a locker room full of players from different countries and of different ages, preferences are different and tastes all over the map.

“It’s tough,” said winger Tom Wilson, who is one of the Capitals' designated DJs. “You have keep 20, 23 guys happy, so it’s tough.”

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Because of Wilson’s versatility as a music-man, and his playlists that feature a wide range of music, he's become a house-favorite among the Capitals music critics. 

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Forward Nathan Walker said Wilson is the best disc-jockey among the jocks in Washington's locker room. “He mixes it up. It’s kind of nice,” Walker said.

Defenseman Madison Bowey agreed, saying that he usually listens to Wilson’s music because of the diversity of the playlist and how well it matches his taste.

“It’s all over,” Bowey said. “There’s some rock in there, there’s a little bit of R&B, some techno; everything that gets you going before a game.”

Wilson said variety is the spice of life, and the secret ingredient to the Capitals' recipe.

“It’s a wide range and [I] just try to mix it up so everyone can have something that they like,” Wilson said.

While many of the players enjoy EDM or R&B, some of the veteran players prefer older music and classic rock. Lines in the sand have been drawn.

“I’d say probably [Matt Niskanen] or [Aaron Ness] would probably have the best taste, according to me,” Jay Beagle said. “They like old-school rock, country… [I’m] not into techno beats or anything like that.”

Beagle is 32 years old and Niskanen is 31. They're two of seven players on the Capitals roster over 30, the nuances of the tunes preferred by their younger teammates lost on them.

“I’m kind of an ‘80s rock guy,” Niskanen said, before tagging on “hair bands” with a smile.

Though there are many different music tastes in the team’s dressing room, each DJ plays a specific role. While Wilson and a handful of other players rotate who gets the aux cord on practice days, Braden Holtby and Alex Ovechkin draw the game day duties.

“Holts usually has the game room and game mornings, until Ovi gets here,” Niskanen said. “When Ovi gets here, he takes over and it’s a little more different.”

Holtby said he listens to singer-songwriters like Bob Dylan, and Ovechkin enjoys techno-pop music.

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In the summer time, the Capitals prospects take over Kettler Capitals Iceplex for development camp, and the sounds change. As they train in the weight room, the prospects blast music, jamming out to one surprising divisive band in particular.

“Everyone’s a closet Nickelback fan,” goaltending prospect Adam Carlson said.

Formed in Alberta, Nickelback resonates with many of the Capitals Canadian-based prospects, while many of these youngers also mentioned Blink-182 among their favorite listens.

There’s not necessarily a designated DJ among the prospects, though fellow defensemen and long-time friends Connor Hobbs and Colby Williams share a passion for country and both served as locker-room DJs back in juniors with the Regina Pats.

 

Sammi Silber