Thursday night, Alex Ovechkin will play in his first game since the passing of his father Mikhail last Wednesday.
The Capitals will honor Ovi Sr. with a helmet decal that reads PAPA OVI.
The team announced the news shortly before players arrived at Capital One Arena for its game against the Anaheim Ducks.
Willie O’Ree broke the NHL’s color barrier in 1958. Sixty-four years later, O’Ree will get an honor that only 11 other players in the Bruins’ 98-year history have received. O’Ree will have his number 22 retired forever.
The Capitals will honor O’Ree’s honor from afar. Every player on the Capitals will wear special decals on the back of their helmets featuring O’Ree’s number 22.
“On the night his No. 22 is retired by the Bruins, we join the entire NHL in honoring Willie O’Ree for his immeasurable contributions to the game of hockey,” the Capitals wrote on their Twitter account.
TJ Oshie missed the Capitals’ game on Monday due to personal reasons. Oshie revealed the next day that his father, Tim, passed away at the age of 56. Oshie’s father lived with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease since at least 2012 and was very close to his son.
“It’s with a heavy heart today that my family mourns the passing of my Dad ‘Coach Oshie,'” TJ wrote on Twitter. “Coach lived life to the fullest and was unanimously loved by everyone who met him. Thanks to all the family and friends for their support. Heaven received a legend today.”
Wednesday, against the Rangers, the Capitals will honor Tim in a sweet way.
By Ian Oland 2 years ago
The Washington Capitals officially added new decals to their helmets on Monday in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
The stickers read Celebrating Equality and feature a profile illustration of Willie O’Ree wearing his signature top hat. Today marks the 63rd anniversary of Willie O’Ree breaking the color barrier with the Boston Bruins (January 18, 1958). Later this season, the Bruins will retire O’Ree’s number.
