Deaf actor, Prince George’s Co. native Keivonn Woodard gets special visit with the Capitals

Keivonn Woodard being presented with a retro Capitals jersey by the team. (Courtesy Washington Capitals)
Keivonn Woodard with Alex Ovechkin and his mother. (Courtesy Washington Capitals)
Keivonn Woodard teaching Alex Ovechkin sign his nickname “Ovi” in sign language. (Courtesy Washington Capitals)
Keivonn Woodard showing off his skills on the Washington Capitals ice rink. (Courtesy Washington Capitals)
Keivonn Woodard with his mother and former Capitals player Devante Smith-Pelly. (Courtesy Washington Capitals)
(1/5)

The Washington Capitals had a special guest Friday when 10-year-old actor Keivonn Woodard visited the practice facility in Arlington, Virginia.

Woodard, a Prince George’s County, Maryland, native, is known for his role as Sam in the HBO drama series “The Last of Us.”

He is also featured in “Fractal” and “Seeds of Hope: The Andrew Jackson Foster Story.”



In addition to his acting skills, the deaf actor is a youth hockey player for the Bowie Bruins as part of the Bowie Hockey Club.

Woodard is a big fan of the Capitals and the team superstar Alex Ovechkin. He was able to meet Ovechkin in the locker room, who taught him how to say his nickname “Ovi” in sign language. Ovechkin returned the favor by offering Woodard a signed hockey stick.

The Bowie native showed off his skills on the ice rink by scoring a goal against a Caps goalie, which impressed the team.

Woodard was at the Capitals’ home game against the New York Rangers, where they won 6-3 to break a four-game losing streak. He was honored as one of the “Rising Stars” of the game for “paving the way for the next generation of Black hockey players,” the team tweeted.

Tadiwos Abedje

Tadi Abedje is a freelance digital writer/editor for WTOP. He was born in Washington, D.C., and grew up in Northern Virginia. Journalism has been his No. 1 passion since he was a kid and he is blessed to be around people, telling their stories and sharing them with the world.

Federal News Network Logo
Log in to your WTOP account for notifications and alerts customized for you.

Sign up