While the Capitals players and coaching staff are looking forward to wrapping up their four-game road trip tonight up in Montreal, the rest of the organization’s staff is back in D.C. celebrating tonight. 

That’s because back in August, it was announced that Washington Capitals owner Ted Leonsis would be awarding Stanley Cup rings to all full-time Capitals employees that worked for the organization during the team’s first-ever championship. And tonight, Leonsis made good on his promise.

I don’t often wear jewelry but I might have to make and exception pic.twitter.com/CLJziVoRHA

— Jake Burch (@Jacob_Burch20) November 19, 2018

It’s worth nothing that while these rings are not the same (read expensive) as the ones the players received, they are no less valuable to the hardworking staff who received them. In fact, some of these employees have worked for the Capitals organization before many of these players were even drafted.

Jessica Martin, a marketing staffer who has worked for Leonsis for five years said, “It’s fantastic feeling knowing that all our hardwork is recongnized. Thanks to Ted Leonsis for giving us a feeling that everything we do behind the scenes is helping the team out in some way.”

From marketing staffers to Zamboni drivers to arena ushers – everyone who helped make last season possible – was recognized and duly honored for their contribution. Leonsis even managed to throw a little shade at the team’s rivals up in Pittsburgh by giving out nearly 500 rings compared to the fewer 150 given away by Mario Lemieux and the Ron Burke when they won back in 2017.

And beyond just the rings Leonsis even flew about 200 staffers to Las Vegas to watch their team battle the Golden Knights during the Stanley Cup finals.

By any measure this was an extremely classy move by an organization and owner who have been dying to bring a championship home to a city that hasn’t won in quite a while.

By Charlie DiPasquale