Brooks Laich skated in 742 games with the Washington Capitals dating back to his debut with the club during the 2003-04 season. In the modern NHL, it’s extremely rare for a player to skate with the same team for so long and Laich’s time with the Caps ultimately ended with a trade to the Toronto Maple Leafs.
He wouldn’t be gone from Washington long as his second game with Toronto was against the Capitals in his former home arena. There, the Capitals and their fans welcomed him back in style.
It’s sad that Laich failed to win a Cup with the Caps and was traded during a season in which they might be the favorite to hoist the trophy, but this video and ovation are a great send off.