Wilson would've benefited by playing in Hershey for a year, he was kinda rushed a bit. His maturation is what I've been impressed with, he picks his spots more now, instead of playing reckless. When this team needs a spark, he often supplies one, whether by a heavy hit, or dropping the gloves, especially when it's standing up for a teammate. I also think that his expanded role (more minutes, PK, playing with better linemates) has helped both him and the Caps tap into his potential. Yeah, he had 4pts against subpar goalies, but games like last night is nice reward for his effort and value to the team. He's gonna get paid more than the $2M he's getting this season.
Not sure if you're discussing the hypothetical scenario where Wilson played in Hershey or if you're saying it was a mistake not to play him in Hershey, but he wasn't eligible to play in the AHL... it was juniors or the NHL.