Caps Care Year in Review: Capitals and MSE Foundation Raise More Than $2.3 Million for Charity During 2024-25 Season

During the 2024-25 season, the Washington Capitals, its players, and Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation continued to give back to the community and grow participation in hockey throughout the region. Through fundraising and programming efforts, the Capitals and Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation supported numerous organizations in an array of missions. The organization's efforts resulted in more than 2.3 million raised for charity.

This week, WashCaps.com presents highlights across the following categories:

Caps Care Community Programs and Initiatives
Theme Nights and NHL Platforms
Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation
Youth Hockey Development and District of Play
Capitals Player Programs
City Engagement

Today, WashCaps.com recaps Caps Care Community Programs and Initiatives:

Caps in School: Caps in School presented by KPMG returned for the 2024-25 hockey season and school year, offering educators and grade-school students the opportunity to engage with the Capitals while participating in a variety of classroom programming.

The Caps in School reading program, which provides classroom materials for participants and prizes to monthly winners, saw 481 classrooms participate. More than 10,000 students across the region participated this year, reading a total of 7,305,781 minutes during the 2024-25 school year. This year’s Caps in School Writing Program encouraged students in first- through eighth- grade to write about the importance of perseverance, hard work and community. More than 70 students submitted essays. Winners received a Caps swag bag and two tickets to a 2025-26 regular season home game.

Caps in School STEM Field Trip Presented by KPMG: The Capitals hosted nearly 100 students from Washington, D.C.’s Payne Elementary School for a STEM Field Trip this year at MedStar Capitals Iceplex. Students watched practice and participated in interactive stations run by Capitals and MedStar Capitals Iceplex employees.

Caps in School Classroom Visits: Capitals players Hendrix Lapierre and Dylan Strome visited Belvedere Elementary School in Falls Church, Va., ahead of the Halloween holiday to pass out candy and lead story time with Ms.Veltri’s class. Later in the season, mascot Slapshot and the Caps in School team visited fourth graders at Landon School in Bethesda, Md., with pizza and Caps prizes to celebrate their winning raffle ticket for participating in all five months of the Caps in School reading program.

Caps in School Wish Lists: The Capitals donated $3,000 worth of school supplies to 10 teachers throughout the region this season, clearing Amazon wishlists at the start of the school year.

50th Anniversary Music Video: A group of third- through fifth-grade students from Montgomery County’s Brooke Grove Elementary School starred in a music video celebrating the Capitals 50th Anniversary Season and playoff run. The students teamed up with Paulie Z to brainstorm and create their own Caps-themed song after spending time researching the history of the Capitals.

Using their chromebooks, they worked with Paulie Z to come up with the lyrics. Once the lyrics were set, they took a field trip to MedStar Capitals Iceplex where they filmed the music video with the help of Capitals alumnus Peter Bondra. As part of Caps in School presented by KMPG, the song was created through the David Z Foundation, whose mission is to transform lives through music education.

50th Birthday Celebration: In honor of the Capitals’ 50th anniversary season, the Capitals held a special birthday celebration for Capitals fan Eric Stevens in October. Eric was born just two days after Washington played their first NHL game. Eric’s daughter, Raya, reached out to the Capitals with the idea to surprise her dad. The Capitals invited the Stevens family to the home opener, where Eric escorted Capitals player Jakob Chychrun down the Rock the Red carpet. Following the experience on the red carpet, the Stevens family was treated to a birthday dinner celebration at District E and a VIP tour of Capital One Arena.

Make-A-Wish Experiences: In November, Capitals players including T.J. Oshie granted the wish of 16-year-old Edmonton, Canada, native Kalen Anderson. Anderson is a hockey player and Capitals fan who was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, synovial sarcoma, in 2023 at the age of 15. She is currently in remission. Anderson’s wish was to meet her favorite player - Oshie - and to spend time with the Capitals for the day. Anderson was signed to a contract by the Capitals assistant general manager Don Fishman before being surprised by Oshie. Oshie surprised Kalen with the news that she would be joining the team on the ice during practice and that she would be participating in a ceremonial puck drop during the team’s game the next day.

Anderson’s wish took place during the Capitals’ and NHL’s Hockey Fights Cancer Month, and Nov. 21 – the second day of Kalen’s wish experience – was the Capitals annual Hockey Fights Cancer game. In addition to participating in a ceremonial puck drop with Oshie, Kalen watched a portion of the game with Oshie.

During the 2024-25 season, the Capitals also granted an additional two other wish experiences for children.

Caps Care Toy Drive: The Capitals hosted their annual Caps Care Toy Drive to benefit The Salvation Army National Capital Area Command on Dec. 3. Fans were encouraged to donate new, unwrapped toys at building entrances ahead of the Capitals vs. San Jose Sharks game. Fans donated 350 toys, which were used for The Salvation Army’s Angel Tree Program. The program helps provide holiday gifts for children.

First Responders Practice: In December, the Capitals hosted local first responders and their families at a practice as part of the Capitals' First Responders Night game taking place later in the season. First responders watched the Capitals practice and took a group photo with the Capitals team. The Washington Capitals have invited first responders to practice over the past several seasons to express their gratitude for their service.

MedStar Georgetown University Hospital Visit: Capitals players including Martin Fehervary, Dylan McIlrath, Pierre-Luc Dubois and Taylor Raddysh visited pediatric patients being treated at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital in December. Players and mascot Slapshot stopped by to spread holiday cheer and decorate gingerbread houses with pediatric patients and staff at the hospital.

Legacy on Ice: In March, several Capitals players attended Legacy on Ice, a figure skating event at Capital One Arena to support the families and loved ones affected by the tragic aviation incident that occurred in January. Players including Jakob Chychrun, Nic Dowd, Pierre-Luc Dubois, Connor McMichael, Alex Ovechkin, Dylan Strome and Tom Wilson met with victims’ families and loved ones during the event, thanked first responders and supported the powerful on-ice tribute.

Fireboat Visit: Capitals players including John Carlson, Nic Dowd, Brandon Duhaime, T.J. Oshie, Taylor Raddysh and Matt Roy visited the DC Fireboat, the first response unit to the Flight 5342 tragedy. The Capitals provided lunch and gifts and thanked the first responders for their heroic efforts.

Hockey Fights Cancer VIP Experience: In March, Capitals player Pierre-Luc Dubois hosted Addie, his number one fan, and her family for the Ultimate VIP Game Day Experience. Dubois and Addie met earlier during the 2024-25 season, when they were paired together during the team’s annual Hockey Fights Cancer skate. Addie and her family arrived at the game via limousine, received a special tour of Capital One Arena and met Dubois post-game.

Swing Into Summer: Several Capitals players supported the Alzner Foundation’s Swing IntoSummer event in May. Swing Into Summer is a one-of-a-kind charity event benefiting the Alzner Foundation, founded by Capitals alumnus Karl Alzner and his wife, Mandy. This star-studded affair brings together sports and entertainment celebrities for a thrilling Celebrity Home Run Derby and Slow Pitch Softball Game. Participants included Nicklas Backstrom, T.J. Oshie, Connor McMichael and Dylan Strome.