United States Secretary of State John Kerry to Attend Feb 6 Capitals Game

February 4, 2014 12:52 pm

Photo: AP

Secretary of State and kiteboarding enthusiast John Kerry will help see the Caps’ Olympic athletes off to Sochi on February 6th. Despite initially voting against it, the former Presidential candidate and congressman has decided to do the ceremonial puck drop before the game. Kerry, a decorated veteran, is also a big hockey fan. He famously broke his nose playing hockey a few days before the champion Bruins (minus one) were received at the White House in 2012.

From the Caps:

United States Secretary of State John Kerry will attend the Washington Capitals game on Thursday, Feb. 6, against the Winnipeg Jets to participate in an Olympic send-off event, vice president and general manager George McPhee announced today.

As part of his visit, Secretary Kerry will participate in a ceremonial puck drop with Olympians from both teams prior to the game. Secretary Kerry will also address the Capitals in the locker room prior to the team’s pregame warmup.

On Feb. 1, 2013, John Kerry was sworn in as the 68th Secretary of State of the United States. Secretary Kerry joined the State Department after 28 years in the United States Senate, serving the last four as Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Secretary Kerry, who is an avid hockey fan, became the first sitting Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman to become Secretary in over a century. Shortly before he graduated from Yale University, Secretary Kerry enlisted to serve in the United States Navy, and went on to serve two tours of duty. He served in combat as a Swift Boat skipper patrolling the rivers of the Mekong Delta, returning home from Vietnam with a Silver Star, a Bronze Star with Combat V, and three Purple Hearts. Secretary Kerry was the Democratic Party’s nominee for President of the United States in 2004.

The Capitals’ John Carlson (United States), Alex Ovechkin (Russia), Nicklas Backstrom (Sweden) and Martin Erat (Czech Republic) will represent their respective countries at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, while the Winnipeg Jets will send Blake Wheeler (United States), Michael Frolik (Czech Republic), Ondrej Pavelec (Czech Republic) and Olli Jokinen (Finland) to Sochi.