In 2024, then-Colorado Avalanche right winger Brandon Duhaime told reporters “the white flag is coming up,” indicating his years-long prank war with Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury was over.
One year later, now with the Washington Capitals, Duhaime reaffirmed his official surrender ahead of the team’s Thursday night clash with his old squad in St. Paul, Minnesota.
“I’ve learned my lesson, you know,” Duhaime told Katie Florio on Caps Rink Report, Thursday. “I’ll be a model citizen going in there. So, hopefully, nothing comes my way.”
Some may remember the former Wild teammates’ furious prank war which began with a viral instance in 2023 when Fleury stole Duhaime’s clothes from his locker in retaliation for the latter aging him up to 50-years-old during an intermission interview. Duhaime was photographed post-game wearing just a coat without a shirt as penance.
Despite the two being split up in 2024 after Duhaime was traded to Colorado, the playful feud was reignited when Fleury’s car was mysteriously tee-peed underneath Xcel Energy Center last season.
It took only a week for the Flower to retaliate, removing the tires from Duhaime’s car at the Avalanche’s practice facility in Centennial, Colorado and covering the hood with soil and – wait for it – flowers, like an artist would sign their masterpiece.
Fleury, of course, was there to watch Duhaime’s reaction. It wound up being the deciding battle in the two-year prank war.
“You won the prank war and I’m sorry,” Duhaime said in an apology video he sent to Fleury later that season.
The two pranksters won’t be seeing one another on the ice outside of warmups on Thursday, however. Filip Gustavsson (28-16-4) will start in net for the Wild, winner of three of his last five decisions.
The Caps will be looking to get back in the win column after falling 3-2 in overtime to the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday. The team is 2-7-1 in its last ten meetings against the Wild and has lost three straight at Xcel Energy Center.
This article has been updated since publication.
