Capitals and Lightning Add Helmet Decal to Honor Skaters Lost in Plane Crash

Phil here, making a rare weekend appearance.

To support of the figure skating community and all those affected by the Flight 5342 tragedy, which involved a mid-air collision between a commercial airliner and an Army Blackhawk helicopter, on January 29, 2025, both the Washington Capitals and Tampa Bay Lightning wore special memorial decals on their helmets during today’s game.

Among the passengers on Flight 5342 were 28 U.S. Figure Skating athletes, coaches, and family members returning from a national development camp held in conjunction with the 2025 U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Wichita, Kansas. This included eleven skaters (aged 11–16) as well as thirteen parents, and four coaches.

Each team wore a special heart-shaped decal featuring both a hockey and figure skate, with “1.29.25” (the date of the tragedy) at the bottom. Both clubs also sported a tiny team logo at the base of the heart.

The decals were color-coordinated. The Tampa Bay Lightning, wearing white helmets, wore a blue and white decal.

The Washington Capitals sported a similar decal.

The decals dovetail with the team’s planned “Legacy on Ice” tribute, which features a live figure skating tribute for families and loved ones impacted by the tragedy, including first responders and aviation professionals. The Legacy on Ice event is scheduled to directly follow the game.

When the event was announced last month, Capitals Owner Ted Leonsis said, “At the end of the day, we not only want to be able to collectively bring all of the voices of all of the people affected, but we need to be able to raise a lot of dollars to help ease some of the pain.”

Here are some looks at the helmet decals on players at the start of the game.