Hendrix Lapierre has been a rock star for the Washington Capitals lately, but Monday night, Monumental Sports Network’s Joe Beninati explained that’s just part of the French Canadian’s nature.
During the telecast of the Capitals’ game against the Winnipeg Jets, Beninati revealed that Lapierre is named after one of the most influential electric guitarists in music history, Jimi Hendrix.
Beninati revealed the news during the third period of the game.
Joe Beninati: We talked about Hendrix Lapierre, right?
Craig Laughlin: Yeah, you told me about his name.
Joe Beninati: Yeah, Mom and Dad are dating. They’re listening to Jimi Hendrix. ‘Hey, if we ever have a child, it should be Jimi.’ And then, you know what? They get around to having the child. ‘No, let’s make it special. Let’s go with Hendrix instead of Jimi.”
Craig Laughlin: It’s such a great story, and you love it, too, because arguably his best song is ‘Hey, Joe.’ [Joe B Laughs] ‘Purple Haze.’
Joe Beninati: Yeah, yeah.
Craig Laughlin: ‘All Along the Watchtower,’ ‘Foxy Lady.’
Joe Beninati: Nice.
Craig Laughlin: That would have been great to have the chance to see Jimi Hendrix, and we’ve got our own Hendrix on the ice here.
Joe Beninati: Hendrix Lapierre
…
Craig Laughlin: His nickname’s got to be Jimi now. (Both laugh) Come on! It’s got to be!
Joe Beninati: Of course it is. (Laughs) If it isn’t already.
The story was first reported by Tarik El-Bashir in November 2020 when he was contributing to The Athletic. There, Lapierre provided slightly more nuance.
Lapierre told El-Bashir that they were together at a restaurant and a Jimi Hendrix song came on.
“And my dad told my mom, or my mom told my dad, ‘If we have a kid, let’s name him and Jimi,’” Lapierre said. “And the other responded, ‘No, let’s leave it Hendrix. I prefer Hendrix to Jimi.’ It was kind of a joke at the time. But then they had me and said, ‘Okay, let’s go for it.’ And they called me Hendrix. No one really believed them in the family when they said they would name me Hendrix.”
Lapierre appreciates the story because he ended up with an “original name; not a lot of people are named Hendrix.”
And Lapierre is right, especially in hockey. He is one of only nine players who have played in the NHL this season and have a first name that starts with H, joining Hardy Haman Aktell (Capitals), Hampus Lindholm (Bruins), Henri Jokiharju (Sabres), Haydn Fleury (Lightning), Henry Thrun (Sharks), Hudson Fasching (Islanders), Hugh McGing (Blues), and Hunter Shepard (Capitals). You’ll notice, none of those players are also named Hendrix. The Capitals’ lead the NHL with first-named H players with three.
Lapierre has embraced his namesake in the past, dressing up as the the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer for Halloween in 2021.
The story about Lapierre’s first name comes as the 2020 first-round pick is having the best stretch of his professional hockey career. Lapierre has five goals in his last seven games as Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery rewarded him with a spot on the team’s first line, skating with childhood idol Alex Ovechkin.
Lapierre has split the season between Washington and Hershey, but it appears this could be the last season he does that as the young center has rapidly developed this year.
And to that, there’s only one good response:
[shreds guitar solo] 🤘.
