In what may be my favorite revelation of the Capitals’ 2021-22 season, head coach Peter Laviolette arrived to Tuesday’s game against the New York Islanders wearing what appears to be a sweatsuit. The rest of the players, adhering to a strict team dress code, arrived in suits.
We learned this after NBC Sports Washington posted a video of Laviolette and Tom Wilson interacting with team dog Biscuit outside the locker room.
Turn your volume up to 11 and watch this interaction between Tom Wilson, Peter Laviolette, and Biscuit 🐶 pic.twitter.com/l5cOpxEmAz
— NBC Sports Capitals (@NBCSCapitals) April 26, 2022
The lewk appears to be the same one Laviolette was sporting at the Capitals morning skate at MedStar Capitals Iceplex. Very head-coach-y and bloggerish. Coach, you’re hired!
Head coach Peter Laviolette on the status of Alex Ovechkin, Connor McMichael taking first line rushes on the left wing at morning skate and Ilya Samsonov starting tonight's game.#CapsIsles | @SociosUSA pic.twitter.com/CGFHGBjRin
— x – Washington Capitals (@Capitals) April 26, 2022
The rest of the players, as documented by Biscuit (the dexterity in his paws is incredible), arrived looking like they were managers, ready to tackle eight hours of business meetings and hundreds of TPS reports.
you knowwwww i had to greet my boys for the last regular season home game !!! pic.twitter.com/ARSQACAlKy
— Biscuit (@CapsPup) April 26, 2022
The NHL requires players to dress their finest unless given freedom by the people above them. Per an Emily Kaplan ESPN story from September 2021:
Exhibit 14, Paragraph 5 of the CBA reads: “Players are required to wear jackets, ties and dress pants to all Club games and while traveling to and from such games unless otherwise specified by the Head Coach or General Manager.”
The Arizona Coyotes and Toronto Maple Leafs are among the NHL teams who have ditched a dress code this season for varying reasons.
But now we know. Lavy arrives in whatever and changes into a suit before the game at Capital One Arena. I kinda love it.
Screenshot: @NBCSCapitals/Twitter
