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LIFESTYLES | DINE AND DISH
Post Game:
DISHING WITH THE CAPITALS The Capitals’ young bucks, right wing Tom Wilson and center Michael Latta, spill about their bromance, what it’s like to be the only single guys and how they plan to bring the Stanley Cup to Washington B Y L A U R A WA I N M A N
OPENER GAME THIS YEAR. WHAT IS hen you sit down for THE RELATIONSHIP LIKE WITHIN THE drinks in Ballston WASHINGTON ATHLETE COMMUNITY? with 21-year-old Tom TW: I think there’s a quiet respect. Wilson and 24-year-old Michael The fans kind of bring everybody Latta and they argue over who is together.You meet people who are the better ping-pong player and just big D.C. fans all around and tease one another about their they are talking about the Skins social media habits, it can be easy or the Wizards and Nats. It’s cool to forget they aren’t just your for the athletes to kind of support average 20-something roommates. each other. But these days the Washington ML: We do different community Capitals’ resident physical forwards events together too. We did a can’t even post an Instagram photo Wounded Warriors event with the of themselves lying on the couch basketball players a couple years watching TV without getting 200 ago and that was cool to bounce comments about their lifestyle or questions off them and see what appearance. The duo have one of Tom Wilson, Laura Wainman and Michael Latta talk hockey over a dinner of shared their lives are like. the most talked about friendships small plates at Kapnos Taverna. (Photo by Tony Powell) (seriously, there’s even a Tumblr fan page for the Latta-Wilson bromance) in the ML: I needed someone to cook for me every HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE SUPPORT THE CAPS AND THE SPORT OF HOCKEY GET IN WASHINGTON? city and with personalities as large as theirs, it’s night. not hard to see why. Over Greek small plates TW: Nah, we’re pretty good at sharing ML: I came from a different organization and I had no idea how loud the fans would be at Kapnos Taverna, the guys dished on who everything. It’s just nice having a roommate. loves Justin Bieber, team pickups and trades ML: I didn’t want to live alone. We don’t have here. When we were at the Redskins game and how they are moving past a disappointing family around or girlfriends or whatever. It’s this weekend, people were stopping us and good to have someone to hang out with. wishing us good luck this season and it was playoff run. TW: It can be a long year if you don’t have a awesome. TW: I grew up in a hockey crazy town, SINCE THE AIRING OF EPIX’S “ROAD TO THE NHL roommate and you’re living alone. Toronto, and the fans are all out for the WINTER CLASSIC” THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF TALK ABOUT YOUR “BROMANCE.” WHAT LED TO YOUR WHAT’S THE TEAM DYNAMIC LIKE? DO YOU SPEND A hockey. Sometimes in hockey crazy towns it LOT OF TIME TOGETHER? can be overwhelming, but in D.C. they love BOND? Tom Wilson: When we both came to the team ML: It’s kind of different because most guys their Caps but they are respectful and they we were the young crew, there weren’t a lot of have families and stuff. So if we have off days don’t cross that line. other young guys. they want to spend it with their kids. Michael Latta: We were forced to hang out TW: On the road we’ll hang out. We get up, IF YOU COULD ACCOMPLISH ONE THING BEFORE YOU together. go to practice and then we have nothing to do LEAVE WASHINGTON WHAT WOULD IT BE? TW: Latts was my only choice so we made it the rest of the day whereas the rest of the team TW: We’ve gotta win the Stanley Cup. work. has to go take care of their kids or pick them ML: It’s been our dream since we were five ML: We won the lottery there. year olds playing hockey in the driveway and up from school. ML: I just take care of Willy. now we’ve made it here, and have a team that WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO BE ROOMMATES? YOU GUYS WENT TO THE REDSKINS SEASON could actually do it.
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| O C T O B E R | washingtonlife.com
WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO BRING THE CUP TO WASHINGTON? ML: Luck. TW: Winning the last game. What some fans don’t understand, is it’s so tough to get that final win in playoff hockey. That’s the kind of thing we probably need to do a little better, to close them out when we can because we had three chances to do it last year. WHAT WERE THE TAKEAWAYS FROM THE 2014-2015 SEASON? TW: The difference between our first and second year in how much our team played as a team, together and how much we bought into the system, it helped a ton. ML: Our locker room is really good. There’s no one outcast. That goes a long way in hockey. WHAT IS THE LOCKER ROOM VIBE RIGHT NOW? TW: We felt like we left something on the table last year, so it’s exciting to get back. No one wanted to leave last year and everyone was kind of bummed. But now we’re back. LET’S TALK ABOUT THE NEW CAPITAL, T.J. OSHIE. HIS PICKUP IS BEING TOUTED AS ONE OF THE BIGGEST MOVES IN THE LEAGUE RIGHT NOW. ML: It was huge. He is one of the best players in the league and I think our top six is really legit now We had a good top six last year but we didn’t have an elite top six. TW: You hear nothing but good things from everyone throughout the hockey world. Everyone I talk to is like “oh you got that Oshie? He’s a great dude you’re going to love him.” That’s exciting. THE CAPITALS HAVE HAD A CONSISTENT PRESENCE IN THE PLAYOFFS IN THE LAST DECADE, DESPITE NOT BEING ABLE TO BRING HOME A CHAMPIONSHIP. WHAT DO YOU ATTRIBUTE THAT TO? TW: Playoff hockey is such a unique thing, where every single thing matters.You have to be so dialed in on everything If you miss one pass or you don’t block one shot… ML: One mess up or one bad bounce off
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Michael Latta (Photo by Washington Capitals Photography)
the boards or one bad line change, so many little things go into the dynamic of the game. I’m really excited about this year though. I think we are better on paper than we were last year. WHAT HAVE BEEN THE BIGGEST CHANGES UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF COACH TROTZ? ML: We played more as a team. We obviously brought in some new players, but we are just working hard and sacrificing for one another. TW: Everyone knows their role and what
“[The Stanley Cup] has been our dream since we were five year olds playing hockey in the driveway and now we have a team that could actually do it” they need to do. If you mess up you know it, but he doesn’t kill you.You know where you stand with him. TOM, THERE’S BEEN SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS YEAR BEING A TRANSITION YEAR FOR YOU AND A TIME FOR YOU TO TAKE ON MORE RESPONSIBILITY. TW: It has gotta be expected, it’s my third year in the league. Obviously, I had that physical role in the league, but I want to be a bigger part of the team now. Whatever role I get I’ll
| O C T O B E R | washingtonlife.com
Tom Wilson (Photo by Washington Capitals Photography)
be happy with but I want to move up. LIGHTNING ROUND: BEST NIGHT OUT IN WASHINGTON? ML: After the Winter Classic game, all of our friends and families were in town and we all went out. That’s all I’m saying. TW: Team parties are the real fun nights because you don’t get to see a lot of the older guys out for dinner because they have their families so when we are all together it’s fun. LAST MOVIE YOU SAW? TW: “Titanic.” ML: That’s him, not me. TW: Nah, it was “Straight Outta Compton.”
Latts had already seen it and he still took me, it’s that good. MOST PLAYED SONG ON YOUR IPOD? TW: J. Biebs “What do you Mean?” ML: T Swift gets a lot of airtime too. WHO WOULD YOU WANT TO PLAY YOU IN A MOVIE? TW: I can answer for you, you’ve got the biggest man crush in the world. Brad Pitt. ML: No, Markie Mark for sure. TW: The guy who played Tim Riggins for me. ML: The guy’s never done one movie since “Friday Night Lights.” TW: Well, he nailed that role so if he can nail my role like he did Riggins then that would be a good choice.
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