John Walton presents the shield. (Caps Outsider)
At the Capitals Alumni Stars and Spirits event on Friday, a roof-top event with several Caps alumni, plus four current Caps and coach Peter Laviolette, the team hosted an auction with proceeds benefiting the Capitals Alumni Community Fund, which helps to grow the game of hockey within the D.C. area and support local charities.
People bid on things like axe-throwing with Craig Laughlin (no, they can’t throw the axes at him), golf with Karl Alzner, calling the line-up before a game, and other fun things. But the most amazing item up for bid was last season’s Viking shield, which the Caps gave to the defensive player of the game. The shield, signed by all of last year’s team, sold for $5,000 to a bidder on the phone.
More about the shield: The Laviolettes had it custom made by a company called Sons of Vikings, after Coach Laviolette binged it during the previous offseason. A year earlier, he watched Cobra Kai, and later gave out the headbands of the game.
No word on what became of the Viking axe, given to the offensive player of the game last year. Maybe Laughlin will use it in his throwing competition.
I also tried to get the Laviolettes to disclose what this coming season’s offensive and defensive player of the game award would be, but despite all the wine everyone was drinking, they kept their secret.
