Braden Holtby has been vocal about his beliefs on equality, and most notably has served as the Capitals' "Hockey Is For Everyone" ambassador. Additionally, last September Holtby was invited to be a speaker at the Human Rights Campaign National Dinner, where he shared remarks on the importance of equality.
"You won't find a place where there's more people enjoying each other's company than they are here today," Holtby said to the media on Saturday before the parade. "It's been something that we've been able to do for a few years, you can tell the joy and the change that it can bring."
Throughout the 1.5-mile journey through the streets of D.C., Holtby was a fan favorite -- throwing rainbow Capitals and Monumental Sports & Entertainment shirts and beads into the crowd. He also got off the float a number of times to interact with the fans directly.
As the parade marched on, you could hear supporters in the crowd shouting Holtby's name. He signed gear and stopped to take photos with some of his biggest fans - even going as far as to make one of them cry tears of joy.