Observations:

June 2017 – If not invaluable to the Penguins, Wilson has become a valuable asset that coach Mike Sullivan can deploy at all three forward positions, mostly on the fourth line. In the playoffs, which he missed a year ago due to injury, Mr. Versatility has split time between playing with Evgeni Malkin and Phil Kessel as well as the fourth line with Matt Cullen and Carter Rowney. After spending most of his time in his first two seasons in the AHL, the seventh-round pick graduated to the big league full time, averaging 10:56 while recording eight goals and 18 assists in a 78-game regular season. His icetime and production ticked up slightly in the post-season (he dished out 10 hits in Game Two of the Eastern final). Never count on the 5-11, 183-pounder for big points, but never count him out lightly. Mark Allan

February 2017 – The good news for the versatile Wilson, who plays all three forward positions, is that he's spent the entire season in the NHL so far and, with 15 points in 49 games, has more than doubled his previous big-league season output. The bad news is that he's spent most of his time on the fourth line. Most recently, he bounced up to the third line with slumping Patric Hornqvist and recent AHL callup Carter Rowney, but that was because Evgeni Malkin, Conor Sheary and Carl Hagelin are hurt. Projecting Wilson's career path depends whether you forecast him as a bottom-six guy with the deep Penguins or speculate on a higher placement with another team. Mark Allan  

November 2016 – With Sidney Crosby back, Wilson split time with Nick Bonino and Bryan Rust as well as with Crosby and Patrik Hornqvist, although Wilson went pointless in 15:11 of icetime. Coach Mike Sullivan seems to like Wilson's offensive ability, but the coach is rolling four lines and juggling them. Wilson has only two Gs and two As in 10 games but he's part of a winning formula. Mark Allan

October 2016 – Instead of playing on Evgeni Malkin's right side, Wilson is operating with Matt Cullen and Patrik Hornqvist as coach Mike Sullivan juggles in the absence of injured forwards Sidney Crosby and Conor Sheary. Wilson has one goal in five games. Mark Allan

October 2016 – Head coach Mike Sullivan is musing aloud about playing Wilson on Evgeni Malkin's right wing, especially since Malkin's playoff RW (Bryan Rust) is still unable to practise with teammates due to injury. Mark Allan

September 2016 – Rebounding from a season-ending broken ankle, the sniping left winger is impressing head coach Mike Sullivan at Pittsburgh's training camp. He scored the game's only goal in a pre-season encounter with the Blackhawks. Against the Red Wings, Wilson topped all Pittsburgh forwards with 20:36 minutes of ice time, including four hits. Sullivan praised him for a quick release and nose for the net. Wilson has a big challenge to beat out some of the Penguins' many skilled forwards, but he began to open eyes last season when he potted four goals in a five-game stretch. If he doesn't make Pittsburgh's roster out of camp, he'll be one of the first callups from the AHL's Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, for whom he totaled more than a point per game last season. Mark Allan

June 2016 – After signing a two-year extension with Pittsburgh, Wilson suffered a season-ending ankle injury that sidelined him from the Penguins' triumphant Stanley Cup run. Bummer. He's part of a youth movement that was a key ingredient in Pittsburgh's success. After earning a callup with more than a-point-per-game pace and leading the AHL with 20 goals, Wilson discovered how the big boys play, posting only six points in 24 games as a bottom-six forward. Nonetheless, five goals demonstrated a nose for the net, and his strong grasp of the game should serve him well once he has two good ankles again. Wilson will likely begin next season in the AHL, and he should pack more muscle by then. Mark Allan

March 2016 – The good news for Wilson? He signed a two-year contract extension with Pittsburgh with an average annual value of $625,000. The bad news? He promptly suffered what is believed to be an ankle injury that will require surgery and keep him out of action "longer term," as the Penguins cryptically reported. Wilson has five goals and one assist in 24 games with Pittsburgh this season to go with 22 goals and 36 points in the AHL. Those 22 goals still lead Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. The occasionally feisty forward held his No. 8 spot among Pittsburgh prospects in the 2016 Future Watch. Mark Allan

February 2016 – Scoring what proved to be the winner, Wilson potted his first NHL goal in a 6-3 win over the visiting Detroit Red Wings. Converting a quick, accurate pass by Conor Sheary from the back boards, Wilson doubled his point total in 13 NHL games this season. He and Sheary remain tied for the scoring lead with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the AHL. When Pittsburgh forwards Evgeni Malkin, Nick Bonino, Beau Bennett and Eric Fehr start to return from injury, Wilson will either remain on the fourth line or return to the AHL to add to his point total. Mark Allan

January 2016 – What does leading the AHL with 20 goals and seven game-winners get you? If you're Wilson, who has 34 points in 32 games for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, it earns you a callup to replace the injured Chris Kunitz, 7:16 of pointless ice time and a swift demotion back to the AHL. The lowly seventh-round draft pick would doubtless be higher than tied for 10th in AHL scoring were it not for playing five times for Pittsburgh but, unless he gets a real shot, overcomes his lack of size and records significant NHL points, being a human ping-pong ball between the two leagues will be his fate. Mark Allan

January 2016 – One assist in four NHL games is not going to wow the Pittsburgh brass, but 32 points (including 19 goals) in 29 AHL games will likely be enough for the Penguins to offer him a contract when he becomes an RFA at the end of the season. He displays creativity, and grit that belies his smallish stature. Mark Allan

October 2015 – The winger is on a tear to start the season with 11 points in seven games, tying him for sixth in AHL scoring. His six goals are a product of an unsustainable 26.1 shooting percentage, but he's making a case to be called up if any Pittsburgh winger is hurt or slumping. Of course, the Penguins still have to decide whether rookie phenom Daniel Sprong is staying up and being a healthy scratch or getting lots of junior ice time. Mark Allan  

October 2015 – Although he totaled three shots on goal, registered three hits and managed a neutral plus/minus rating in a 7-2 pre-season loss to Detroit, Wilson was nonetheless one of four players demoted to the AHL, where he was fourth in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton scoring last season with 41 points in 55 games. Wilson remains an NHL prospect with a good blend of creativity and grit, but he's smallish and must clearly produce more to make the big club. Mark Allan 

September 2015 – Wilson’s development will keep being slowed unless he can avoid injury. After he sat out six weeks nursing an injury suffered in his NHL debut in December, he was hurt again and missed a prospect development camp in July. Mark Allan

December 2014 – Ranked the eighth-best Pittsburgh prospect in The Hockey News 2014 Future Watch, the UMass-Lowell product is posting respectable numbers in his first full AHL season. The six-foot center had three goals, nine assists and a plus-10 rating in 21 games as a Wilkes-Barre/Scranton left winger, a move that gives him more hope of cracking the Pittsburgh roster. Wilson made his NHL debut Dec. 2 in a 1–0 victory over New Jersey. Called up after Chris Kunitz was hurt, Wilson played a team-low 4:21 after injuring a leg in the second period of his NHL debut. Mark Allan

April 2014 – The Pittsburgh Penguins have signed Junior Scott Wilson to an Entry-Level Contract. This forgoes his Senior year at UMass-Lowell, and he will likely stick with the Penguins AHL affiliate for the remainder of the year. Wilson did not have the Junior season that he and his team had hoped for, as he had several different injuries that he dealt with. He finished with only 19 points in 31 games, which is a major decline from his previous totals. Seth Brisendine

August, 2013 – Scott Wilson is a tenacious, skilled forward for UMass-Lowell. Wilson is a threat in the offensive zone, thanks to his great hockey sense. He won Hockey East’s Rookie of the Year honors in 2011-12 by scoring 16 goals and 22 assists in only 37 games. This year he was tied for the team lead in scoring by matching his previous totals of 38 points. Wilson will be a team leader next season as a junior, and will be expected to increase his point totals and play more of a two-way game. Seth Brisendine

Fantasy Outlook: C

Wilson plays all forward positions, usually on the fourth line, but sometimes on a scoring line. His versatility and hustle should keep in the NHL as a steady, modestly scoring depth player.

Footage:

Scott Wilson flails at Boone Jenner after he felled superstar Evgeni Malkin with a knee-on-knee hit:

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Scott Wilson’s slapshot:

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