With Alex Ovechkin and John Carlson out, Tom Wilson joins Caps’ leadership group

This is Ovechkin’s 12th season as captain, Backstrom’s 11th season as alternate captain and Carlson’s second.

“That is a nice way of saying they got older,” retired defenseman and alternate captain Brooks Orpik quipped earlier in the year. Carlson, who is now in his 12th NHL season, was given the “A” after Orpik retired in 2019.

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The Capitals’ coaching staff decides who wears the “A” when players are out. Chara was chosen for Thursday’s game. Chara served as captain of the Boston Bruins for 14 seasons, and he wore the “A” alongside Backstrom and T.J. Oshie, who routinely sports the first extra “A” patch when a player is out.

On Saturday, the Capitals chose forward Tom Wilson to wear the third “A.”

“It’s a chance to just acknowledge some guys that are actually doing a good job of leading this club,” Laviolette said. “We’ve always said we’ve felt like we have strong leadership, and Tom has been a good leader the whole time, and Zdeno has come in and been a leader. . . . It is not just a token thing; it is because guys bring good leadership in the room.”

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Thursday was the first time Ovechkin and Carlson missed the same game since April 10, 2016, when both were rested for the team’s regular season finale against Anaheim.

Ovechkin, who has missed the past four games, and Carlson, who has missed the past two, are still uncertain for Monday’s game against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden.

Laviolette has praised Chara’s leadership, and assistant coach Kevin McCarthy described the 44-year-old as another coach on the blue line.

“I think when you talk about leadership, it’s when somebody shares your reflections of the game and of the room and how things should work on a day-to-day basis and then maintains a voice and a presence when coaches aren’t in the room,” Laviolette said.

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Chara’s protective presence on the ice has been noticeable this season. He recently fought the New York Islanders’ Matt Martin — for the second time this year — after the winger’s hit on Michael Raffl.

“I remember when we talked this [offseason] and he said, ‘I’m coming in here for a lot of different reasons, but I’m going to help play tough for this team and protect this team,’ and that’s just the type of person he is,” Laviolette said. “ … We are all much appreciative that he is able to jump in like that and take care of things. It was great by him.”

The decision to award Wilson the third “A” seemed like it was a long time coming. Wilson, in his eighth NHL season — all with the Capitals — had never worn the “A” in a regular season game until Saturday. It has been widely noted from coaches and players that Wilson has all the intangibles to become the Capitals’ captain one day.

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While Wilson’s reputation as a physical winger who has gotten multiple suspensions for his hard hits will stay with the 27-year-old, his production and his upbeat, energetic attitude continue to push him to the forefront of conversations about future captains.

“He’s a great person, first of all, and he’s a great hockey player,” Backstrom said. “He brings a lot to this hockey team, and he’s proven over the years that he’s a great guy to have in the locker room and on the ice. He’s a leader all the way. It was good to see him get the ‘A’ there.”