On June 1, 2011, the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League signed Wilson to an entry-level contract.[2]
In the 2015–16 season, Wilson split the year between the Panthers and AHL affiliate, the Portland Pirates. Wilson was scoreless in a career-best 29 games with Florida. He registered his first NHL point in the post-season, assisting Alex Petrovic's game-winning goal in Game 4 against the New York Islanders.
At the conclusion of the season, Wilson was not offered a contract to remain with the Panthers. On July 7, 2016, he signed as a free agent to a one-year, two-way contract with the Stanley Cup champions, the Pittsburgh Penguins.[3] Wilson joined the Penguins AHL affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, where he was named an alternate captain.[4] He re-signed with the Penguins on July 1, 2017.[5]
Wilson began the 2018–19 season in the AHL where he was named the captain of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.[6] He was recalled to the Penguins on November 6 but after going pointless in four games he was assigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.[7] Wilson scored his first NHL career goal on February 9, 2019 against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
As a free agent from the Penguins, Wilson agreed to a one-year, $725,000 contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs on July 23, 2019.[8] After attending the Maple Leafs 2019 training camp, Wilson was re-assigned for the duration of the 2019–20 season, to play in the AHL with the Toronto Marlies.
As a free agent heading into the pandemic delayed 2020–21 season, Wilson was signed to a one-year AHL contract with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, affiliate to the Philadelphia Flyers, on January 26, 2021.[9]
^"PITTSBURGH RE-SIGNS GARRETT WILSON". July 1, 2017. Retrieved May 3, 2018. Wilson, 26, spent his first season in the Pittsburgh organization in 2016-17, adding leadership and toughness to the Pens' minor-league affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton as an alternate captain