2024 ROTY Jayden Daniels once called Kobe Bryant his ultimate sports idol—not just for the titles, but for the mindset. That same mindset has followed Daniels from Tempe to D.C., shaping how he approaches football, fame, and even fandom. Whether it’s film sessions or photo ops, he’s rarely out of focus—except when he’s soaking up greatness from other fields entirely. This week? That lens zoomed out to a soccer field and an ice rink.

Daniels has been making the most of his offseason with some leisure time. Recently, the Washington Commanders‘ QB found himself in the heart of Paris. He attended the thrilling PSG vs Angers SCO match, watching PSG secure a 1-0 victory. But soccer wasn’t the only sport catching his attention. Daniels also took in an ice hockey game, where he had his fan moment with one of the sport’s greatest ever players.

On Wednesday, Jayden Daniels was the star guest at an NHL game held at Capital One Arena, where the Washington Capitals faced off against the Montreal Canadiens. The Capitals secured a 3-1 win. And after the game, Daniels got the chance to meet the team’s legendary captain and left winger, Alexander Ovechkin, in the locker room. The official Capitals Instagram account shared a photo of the two, captioning it “District royalty.” Daniels reposted the image on his story with a tribute of his own. The Commanders QB wrote, “the greatest to ever do it!” followed by a GOAT emoji, giving a shoutout to the Capitals legend. 

When the QB arrived at Capital One Arena, he was rocking a long-sleeve shirt from Stéh Līht. As the game kicked off, the 24-year-old threw on a black Alex Ovechkin jersey. A special one from Ovi’s rookie year, featuring the classic Capitol Dome design. The Capitals now have a 2-0 lead in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoff series. Connor McMichael scored twice, including an empty-net goal in the final seconds. His fellow center Dylan Strome also added a goal. Goaltender Logan Thompson made 25 saves, with 14 coming in the third period, to help seal the win. 

And following the win, the Capitals fans’ happiness was through the roof. But the night got even more memorable for one particular fan, yes, the Commanders‘ QB. After the game, Jayden received a special gift from the Capitals’ captain, Ovechkin himself.

Commanders QB Jayden Daniels treated to special gift

Jayden Daniels was not the only star present at Capital One Arena for the Capitals vs. Canadiens game. The QB was there with his Commanders teammates Marcus Mariota and Sam Hartman. The entire Commanders QB crew was there. During the second break in play in the first period, the Commanders’ QBs were introduced to the crowd as the camera panned over them.

The crowd erupted in loud cheers when they saw the NFL stars on screen. Daniels, Marcus, and Sam were then given footballs to sign. The three of them signed the balls and threw them into the audience, with some lucky fans catching them. The cameras caught Marcus Mariota shaking hands with fans sitting beside him. While some lucky fans in the audience got their moment, QB Jayden Daniels had his fan moment when he met Alexander Ovechkin in the Capitals’ locker room, where captain Alexander Ovechkin gifted Daniels a signed game-used hockey stick.

This came on the heels of a special record. Ovechkin scored his 895th career goal on April 6, 2025, surpassing Wayne Gretzky’s long-standing record of 894 goals to become the NHL’s all-time leading goal scorer. Safe to say, that made the 24-year-old’s day. After leaving the arena, the cameras caught Daniels carefully holding his gift from his favorite player, placing it in his SUV as he headed home. The Commanders players also took pictures with the Capitals for the team’s social media. Throughout most of the game, Daniels was seen letting fans take selfies with him, surrounded by his supporters, and happy to capture moments with them.

The Commanders began their offseason workout programs on Monday. Jayden also posted a video on X getting back to the team’s facility. In a few hours, the Commanders’ brass will be in Green Bay for this year’s draft. It will be interesting to see how this season turns out for them. Will that hockey stick be a lucky charm?