Alex Ovechkin and most of Washington Capitals players skip Pride Night ritual

Washington Capitals players from outside North America may not be as used to Pride Nights as other athletes.

On Saturday night, the Capitals celebrated alternative sexual lifestyles with their “All Caps All Love” night, posting rainbow and transgender flags ahead of their gay-memorabilia auction.

‘We proudly stand with the LGBTQ+ community.’

After the NHL banned themed jerseys in 2023, some fought for the right to use rainbow-colored stick tape, and won. That is how select Capitals players decided to show their gay pride on Saturday night against the reigning champion Florida Panthers, but as the teams took the ice, viewers noticed only eight of the Capitals’ 20 dressed players took part.

John Carlson, Nic Dowd, Brandon Duhaime, Hendrix Lapierre, Connor McMichael, Dylan Strome, Logan Thompson, and Trevor van Riemsdyk