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  6. article_body => "<p>Matt Niskanen knew it would be emotional.<\/p>\n<p>On Saturday night, he played in Washington, D.C., for the first time against his old team since being traded&nbsp;to the Flyers during June.<\/p>\n<p>The 32-year-old defenseman won the 2018 Stanley Cup and appeared in 70 playoff games over five seasons with the Capitals, helping give the city its first major championship since 1992.<\/p>\n<p>Everyone knew the Capitals' organization would salute him in his return with a video tribute.<\/p>\n<p>\"If they do one of those, I\u2019ll deal with it the best I can in the moment,\" Niskanen said Friday after practice.<\/p>\n<p>\"A lot of good memories there, enjoyed my time there, had a ton of fun, won a ton of games. It\u2019ll be weird being on the other side.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Washington honored Niskanen during the first period in front of a packed house at Capital One Arena.<\/p>\n<p>And Niskanen did his best in the moment. He was clearly touched.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Thanks, Nisky \u2764\ufe0f <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/tA7Bq6u1IX\">pic.twitter.com\/tA7Bq6u1IX<\/a><\/p>&mdash; NBC Sports Capitals (@NBCSCapitals) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NBCSCapitals\/status\/1226304250390642693?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">February 9, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote>\n<script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n <blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Thanks for everything, Nisky!! <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/ALLCAPS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#ALLCAPS<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/jf71N9DS6x\">pic.twitter.com\/jf71N9DS6x<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Washington Capitals (@Capitals) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Capitals\/status\/1226301910640189441?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">February 9, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote>\n<script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n <blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">I think they got him! <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Caps?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#Caps<\/a> honor Matt Niskanen with a beautiful video tribute. They said it best \u2014 Thank you, Nisky! He was clearly choked up. <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/ALLCAPS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#ALLCAPS<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/dyR0a2cNn0\">pic.twitter.com\/dyR0a2cNn0<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Rob Carlin (@RobCarlinNBCS) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/RobCarlinNBCS\/status\/1226300767646121984?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">February 9, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote>\n<script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n\n<p><iframe src=\"https:\/\/art19.com\/shows\/flyers-talk-a-philadelphia-flyers-podcast\/episodes\/9f220b3d-8d50-412e-b505-48177094cad1\/embed\" style=\"width: 100%; height: 200px; border: 0 none;\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe> \n<p><strong><em is=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/smart.link\/5bb788a3d5b83?site_id=Web_NBCS_Philly&amp;creative_id=nbcsphi1356&amp;cp_4=www.nbcsports.com&amp;cp_1=washington&amp;cp_2=myteams-nbc-sports&amp;cp_3=nbcsphi1356\" is=\"\">Click here<\/a>&nbsp;to download the MyTeams App by NBC Sports! Receive comprehensive coverage of your teams and stream the Flyers, Sixers and Phillies games easily on your device.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3 dir=\"ltr\"><strong>More on the Flyers<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" role=\"presentation\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/flyers\/flyers-recall-top-prospect-morgan-frost-roster-nhl-playoff-race\">Flyers call up their top prospect for a few reasons<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" role=\"presentation\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/flyers\/toss-frustration-shayne-gostisbehere-flyers-need-each-other-nhl-playoff-race\">A toss of frustration? Gostisbehere, Flyers need each other<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" role=\"presentation\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/flyers\/alain-vigneault-provides-entertainment-after-flyers-ugly-show-devils\">Vigneault provides the entertainment after Flyers' ugly show<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" role=\"presentation\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/flyers\/previous-flurry-moves-has-chuck-fletcher-flyers-confident-nhl-trade-deadline-nears\">A previous flurry of moves has Fletcher confident as trade deadline nears<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" role=\"presentation\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/flyers\/alain-vigneault-nolan-patrick-migraine-disorder-injury-flyers-roster\">What Vigneault thinks about the possibility of Patrick's return<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n"
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Flyers

Flyers

Matt Niskanen knew it would be emotional.

On Saturday night, he played in Washington, D.C., for the first time against his old team since being traded to the Flyers during June.

The 32-year-old defenseman won the 2018 Stanley Cup and appeared in 70 playoff games over five seasons with the Capitals, helping give the city its first major championship since 1992.

Everyone knew the Capitals' organization would salute him in his return with a video tribute.

"If they do one of those, I’ll deal with it the best I can in the moment," Niskanen said Friday after practice.

"A lot of good memories there, enjoyed my time there, had a ton of fun, won a ton of games. It’ll be weird being on the other side.”

Washington honored Niskanen during the first period in front of a packed house at Capital One Arena.

And Niskanen did his best in the moment. He was clearly touched.

Click here to download the MyTeams App by NBC Sports! Receive comprehensive coverage of your teams and stream the Flyers, Sixers and Phillies games easily on your device.

 

More on the Flyers