Sam Becker at the home opener on Saturday. (Caps Outsider)
This past November, Caps center Nicklas Backstrom played host to 12-year old Sam Becker for the Make-a-Wish Foundation.
Sam, who we’re happy to report is cancer free, is preparing for his Bar Mitzvah in December.
We’ve actually got a nice story about this. After the Nov. 28, 2014 game, when Becker and Backstrom met, the Caps didn’t publicly disclose their Honest Abe player of the game, something they always did after victories.
Caps Outsider couldn’t find out who it was. Caps media relations didn’t know, Washington Post beat reporter Alex Prewitt didn’t know, and even through the process of elimination, we couldn’t narrow it down to find out who won it. This was the only Honest Abe that stayed in the locker room (much like the new award, whatever it is). So Caps Outsider gave it to Sam.
Recently, Sam’s father, Aaron, was searching for photos of Sam to show at his upcoming Bar Mitzvah celebration, and he stumbled upon Caps Outsider’s (poorly) photo-shopped image of Sam in the Honest Abe hat and beard.
That made his night, and Sam was excited to belatedly find out he was given this award by our blog.
So, the Washington Capitals not disclosing an Honest Abe for this particular game, which also happened to fall on the same day as Sam’s birthday, turned out to have a fun spin.
Unfortunately, Backstrom couldn’t play in the home opener Saturday as he recovers from offseason surgery.
“I hope he gets better soon,” Sam said of Backstrom.
