The following article appears in W Magazine, a lifestyle publication produced by the Washington Capitals. W features more than 200 pages of exclusive photography of Capitals players and their families, as well as content and interviews on various lifestyle topics. It is available for purchase online at *washcaps.com/WMagazine* and at the Team Stores at Capital One Arena and MedStar Capitals Iceplex.
For Capitals forward Pierre-Luc Dubois, the opportunity to design a hat for an all-fan giveaway at Capital One Arena on Feb. 2, when the Capitals host the New York Islanders, was a dream come true and an honor that he did not take lightly.
“Designing something had been on my bucket list for a long time, so I had a while to prepare and come up with some inspiration,” he said. “The crew that was there for it really helped a lot. That was one of the coolest things I’ve done in a long time.”
Dubois incorporated a variety of aspects into the design that are a tip of the cap to his upbringing, the District and Capitals fans.
The panels feature the flag of Quebec and the logo from the Sea Star flag of the city of Baie-Comeau, where Dubois grew up. The underbrim incorporates Washington, D.C.’s iconic street grid with a fleur-de-lis, which is a symbol on the flag of Quebec, where Capital One Arena is located. The inner stitching showcases the coordinates of the rink where Dubois grew up playing hockey.
“It was really cool to design it, but it’ll be even cooler to see people wear it,” he said. “I hope that the fans like it. It’s a combination of what I wear, the city of my childhood and me, so hopefully they appreciate it and wear it to games.”
On the inside of the hat, Dubois asked to include a special message for fans. It says, “Merci pour le support,” which means thank you for the support in his native French.
“I just wanted to show my appreciation to them,” he said. “Since my wife and I have been in D.C., the appreciation that we’ve felt at every home game, team event and in the community has meant a lot, and I want them to know that I appreciate them.”
