Following the Washington Capitals’ historic Stanley Cup win, several players on the team, as well as many dedicated Caps fans, got tattoos inked to commemorate the franchise’s milestone.
Andre Burakovsky and Jakub Vrana, however, are not the only members of the Capitals organization with tattoos that carry a significant meaning to them.
Oft-heralded first Australian in the NHL, Nathan Walker, has his own pre-existing tattoo, which was spied during the Capitals’ victory parade as he was hoisted into the air by his teammates.
On his side is a dragon. Specifically, the dragon found on the Welsh flag, a tribute to his roots.
Walker, who was born in Cardiff, Wales, moved to Australia when he was just two-years-old. However, Walker still has strong ties to the area through his family, so his choice of ink should come as little surprise.
The flag of Wales, also known as Y Ddraig Goch, dates back as far as the fifth century, and was adopted by the Welsh kings of Aberffraw to symbolise their power and authority over the withdrawing Romans. Cardiff’s flag also adopts the same iconic dragon.
This isn’t the first time that Walker’s Welsh dragon tattoo has made an appearance online. His wife, Tayla, posted a holiday snap from Fiji in 2016, where the ink can be seen.
Walker also posted his own photograph from Australia to his Instagram in 2017.
In an interview with Wales Online, in 2014, Walker expressed an interest in eventually returning to his first ever home, and to play hockey for their local team.
“I’d really like to play for the Cardiff Devils someday,” Walker said. “That’s where I think I’d like to end up. I’m from Wales and I’m from Cardiff – it seems right that that’s where I’d end up. Wales is a great country to call home.”
Headline photo: @NBCSCapitals
