Caps Care Year in Review: MSE Foundation

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 Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation:

50^th Anniversary Season Grants: In October, the Capitals and Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation unveiled a $500,000 donation to community nonprofits in the Washington, D.C., region in celebration of the Capitals’ 50th Anniversary. The funding was awarded in $50,000 increments to 10 community partners whose efforts in the region align with five fundamental charitable focus areas of the Capitals: Military, Growing the Game of Hockey, Hockey Fights Cancer/Health and Wellness and First Responders. Beneficiaries included Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, USA Warriors, United Heroes League, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Mid-Atlantic, Make-A-Wish Mid-Atlantic, D.C. Firefighters Burn Foundation, DC Fire and EMS Foundation, Potomac Valley Amateur Hockey Association, Capital Impact Fund and the American Special Hockey Association.

KABOOM! Playground: In September, Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation, in partnership with KABOOM! and the Washington Housing Conservancy, completed a vibrant new playground at Huntwood Courts Apartments in Washington, D.C. More than 150 volunteers, including Washington Capitals players Alexander Alexeyev and Nic Dowd, Washington Wizards players Bub Carrington, Kyshawn George, Alexandre Sarr, and Tristan Vukcevic, and Monumental Sports Network’s Wes Hall, Tarik El-Bashir, and Alexa Landestoy, worked together to bring the new playspace to life.

In advance of the build, the community’s children, with the support of Wizards player Jules Bernard and Capitals player John Carlson, shared their dream playground designs with project organizers. These ideas were incorporated into the final design, ensuring the playground reflects the needs and desires of the community.

Hispanic Heritage Foundation Grant: In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation allocated a $10,000 grant to the Hispanic Heritage Foundation (HHF). HHF is a national nonprofit organization focused on education, workforce, social innovation and culture through the lens of leadership.

Canine Calendar: In the fall, Capitals players participated in a Caps Canine Calendar photoshoot. The calendar featured the 2024-25 Washington Capitals roster with their dogs, as well as dogs available for adoption through Wolf Trap Animal Rescue. All calendar proceeds benefited Wolf Trap Animal Rescue and Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation. Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation and the Capitals have raised nearly $675,000 for local animal shelters through the sale of Caps Canine Calendars since 2012.

Hockey Fights Cancer Auction: Capitals players participated in the Hockey Fights Cancer skate on Nov. 11 as well as arrived to the Nov. 21 Capitals Hockey Fights Cancer game wearing Hockey Fights Cancer themed jerseys. The jerseys were auctioned off in a Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation Capitals Hockey Fights Cancer auction. In addition to the autographed jerseys, the auction also featured signed Hockey Fights Cancer pucks.

The auction raised $53,377. Proceeds benefited The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Mid-Atlantic Region, Make-A-Wish® Mid-Atlantic, Pancreatic Cancer Action Network and Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation.

Pride Auction: A Capitals and Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation Pride Auction featured autographed player-used sticks wrapped in rainbow-color ‘Pride Tape’ and autographed Capitals Pride pucks signed by all Caps players. The auction raised $24,368. Proceeds benefited SMYAL, with a portion of funds allocated for You Can Play, as well as Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation. Giant presented $5,000 in Giant Food gift cards to SMYAL to officially launch the fundraising efforts.

Celebrating Black History Auction: In February, the Capitals debuted special jerseys designed by The Museum DC during a special Capitals event featuring Howard University at MedStar Capitals Iceplex. Jerseys signed by all players on the Capitals 2024-25 roster were auctioned off by Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation to benefit the Capitals’ Capital Impact Fund. The auction, which raised $54,407, also featured Capitals Black History Month pucks and team-signed youth hockey jerseys.

The Capitals and Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation created the Capital Impact Fund in 2020 to provide financial support to local nonprofit organizations dedicated to further advancing diversity, equity and inclusion in hockey, along with funding the Rising Stars Academy. The fund aims to help minority youth players reach their greatest potential and create more equal playing fields for all.

Women in Hockey: Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation made a donation to the Potomac Valley Amateur Hockey Association from the funds raised through the Capitals 50/50 Raffle on March 20. The funds will support the organization’s women’s hockey programming. In October, Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation announced a $50,000 donation to PVAHA as part of the organization’s 50th anniversary season celebration.

Salute to the Military Auction: A Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation Military Night auction benefited United Heroes League. Auction items included autographed military-themed jerseys and autographed camouflage pucks. The auction raised $36,605.

Courage Caps: In February, the Capitals and Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation announced the return of Courage Caps. Special 50^th Anniversary edition Courage Caps presented by Telos Corporation were sold to benefit Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS). The 2024-25 Courage Caps featured the word Courage embroidered across the front of the hat. The Capitals’ 50^th Anniversary logo is also featured on the side of the hat in honor of the team’s historic season. In addition, the hat featured the special 50^th Anniversary red and blue color scheme. In honor of the launch, Capitals players Nicklas Backstrom and T.J. Oshie met with TAPS families during a Capitals game. More than $60,000 was raised for TAPS through the Courage Caps initiative this season.

TAPS provides comfort and care to those grieving the loss of a military or veteran loved one. Proceeds from the sale of Courage Caps will support TAPS’ mission, helping to fund peer-based emotional support, regional seminars for adults, Good Grief Camps for children, casework assistance, grief and trauma resources, and a 24/7 Helpline for bereaved military families.

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. A Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation Legacy on Ice fundraiser raised a net total of more than $1.3 million in donations to support families, loved ones and first responders affected by the aviation tragedy.

Cherry Blossom Auction: A Capitals cherry blossom jersey auction raised $118, 575 for Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation. The jersey, designed by Washington, D.C.-based artist Taylor Kampa Olsen of TKOPaintings, was worn during arrivals on Tuesday, March 18 when the Capitals hosted the Detroit Red Wings at Capital One Arena. The fundraiser marks the Capitals and Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation’s highest grossing auction to date, with 31 items, including all jerseys, selling for $2,300 or more. The previous high was set by the 2023 cherry blossom auction, which raised $117,435 for Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation.

Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation Playoff Auction: A Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation Capitals Playoff Auction raised $37,810 for Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation programming. Featured items included a team-signed Caps Cherry Blossom jean jacket created by TKO Paintings, a Caps playoff jacket, an Alex Ovechkin player appearance-worn, autographed jersey, Ovechkin player-worn gloves, a team signed 2025 Caps Canine Calendar and life size bobbleheads, among other items.

Caps Fore Charity: The 2024-25 Capitals roster and Capitals alumni participated in Caps Fore Charity presented by TVAR Solutions and Dell Technologies in March. The annual event brings players, alumni, partners and fans together around Topgolf to raise funds for Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation programming.

The entire 2024-25 Capitals roster took part in the event, as well as alumni Peter Bondra and Paul Mulvey. The winning team was John Carlson with Miracle4Melanie. The runner ups were John Walton and Alexa Landestoy with Team Lenkersdorfer.

T.J. Oshie Event at Washington Harbour: In June, Capitals forward T.J. Oshie announced his retirement from the NHL during a fan event at Washington Harbour in Georgetown. During the ceremony, the Washington Capitals and Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation presented Oshie with a $10,000 donation to the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation in recognition of Oshie’s career and in honor of his father, Tim Oshie. Tim, known in the hockey community as “Coach Oshie,” was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2012 and passed away in 2021.

Craig Laughlin and the American Heart Association: Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation made a $10,000 donation to the American Heart Association after Monumental Sports Network analyst and Capitals alumnus Craig Laughlin underwent a successful heart surgery. Laughlin’s daughter, Courtney Laughlin, presented the check during a February Capitals game, which also featured other tributes to Laughlin including special heart-shaped lapel pins with his former jersey number.

Capital Impact Fund: Seven beneficiaries were awarded grants through the organization’s Capital Impact Fund. Black Girl Hockey Club, DC Stars Hockey, the Potomac Valley Amateur Hockey Association, the Seek 1^st Foundation, Tender Bridge (Baltimore Banners), Titans Youth Hockey and the Tucker Road Parent Hockey Organization are the seven nonprofits that received a combined $55,000 in funding. The organizations were selected by the Capitals based on their missions and impact toward diversity in hockey, as well as on their plans to use the funding to further advance diversity, equity and inclusion in the sport in the Washington, D.C., area.

50/50 Raffles: Fans helped raise more than $1 million through Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation’s 50/50 Raffles. Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation 50/50 Raffles take place online and in-game during Capitals home games. One fan with the winning ticket number wins 50% of the collected amount at each game. Proceeds from the other half benefit community programs.