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Capitals staffer spends day with the Stanley Cup at the Capital Gazette’s temporary newsroom

Woody Leydig is an Annapolis resident and hoped to "boost morale" for the reporters whose colleagues were killed last week.

A memorial for the Capital Gazette's John McNamara is displayed at a seat in the Orioles' press box on June 29. McNamara, a longtime sportswriter at the Annapolis paper, was among five killed in a shooting at the newspaper office on June 28.
A memorial for the Capital Gazette's John McNamara is displayed at a seat in the Orioles' press box on June 29. McNamara, a longtime sportswriter at the Annapolis paper, was among five killed in a shooting at the newspaper office on June 28.Read moreGail Burton / AP
    by Scott Allen, The Washington Post
    Published 

Tuesday was longtime Capitals equipment manager Craig "Woody" Leydig's day with the Stanley Cup. After last Thursday's horrific shooting at the Capital Gazette left five people dead, Leydig, an Annapolis resident, made a point of bringing the trophy to the newspaper's temporary office.

Read the Capital Gazette story here.

"When you get a day with it, sometimes I think it's just good to do good to people, and boost morale and bring up some spirits," Leydig told Capital Gazette reporter Bill Wagner in a video shared by Baltimore Sun videographer Ulysses Muñoz. "I know it doesn't replace the victims, but hopefully this is a shot in the arm for people to start a little healing process to make you guys feel better."

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About 30 minutes before last week's shooting, Wagner wrapped up a phone interview with Leydig, who has worked for the Capitals since 1983. Upon returning to the laundry room at Kettler Capitals Iceplex, Leydig saw the news of the shooting on TV, and he immediately worried that Wagner was in the building.

"My heart went out to everybody," Leydig said.

Wagner wasn't in the Capital Gazette's Annapolis office when the shooting occurred, but five reporters who were, including Phil Davis, were among the Capital Gazette staff members who spent about 45 minutes taking photos with the Stanley Cup during Tuesday's visit.

"First, thanks to @Capitals for bringing the Stanley Cup to The Capital Office," Davis tweeted.

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"My heart goes out to the families of those who were lost and to all the employees of Capital Gazette that have to find a way to move on from this terrible tragedy," Leydig told Wagner.

Before visiting the Capital Gazette's temporary office, Leydig brought the Cup to the Naval Academy. Later in the afternoon, Leydig brought the Cup, via boat, to Annapolis's City Dock, where fans started lining up before 7 a.m. for a chance to snap a photo with the trophy.