Avalanche Acquires Grubauer, Orpik From Capitals

The Colorado Avalanche Hockey Club announced today that the team has acquired goaltender Philipp Grubauer and defenseman Brooks Orpik from the Washington Capitals in exchange for the club's second-round selection (47th overall) of the 2018 NHL Draft.

Grubauer, 26, appeared in 35 regular-season games for the Stanley Cup champion Capitals, posting a 15-10-3 record while leading the team in goals-against average (2.35), save percentage (.923) and shutouts (3). Grubauer's 35 games and 15 wins were career highs, while his three shutouts tied a personal best from 2016-17. He led all NHL goaltenders in both goals-against average (1.93) and save percentage (.937%) from Nov. 24 until the end of the season (min. 20 games). The 6-foot-1, 191-pound netminder went on to start Washington's first two games of the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs (0-1-0, 4.57 GAA).
Selected by Washington in the fourth round (112th overall) of the 2010 NHL Draft, Grubauer has compiled a 43-31-11 career record with a 2.29 GAA, .923 Sv% and six shutouts in 101 NHL games. He appeared in his 100th career contest on April 1, 2018 at Pittsburgh.
A native of Rosenheim, Germany, Grubauer has compiled the third-most victories ever by a German-born goaltender, trailing Olaf Kolzig (303) and Thomas Greiss (98).

Internationally, Grubauer represented Germany in five games in 2017 between the IIHF World Championship and Olympic Qualifiers, posting a 1.53 goals-against average and a .943 save percentage. He suited up for his country at the 2014 IIHF World Championship in Belarus, posting a 2.03 goals-against average and a .922 save percentage in two appearances. Grubauer backstopped Germany at two IIHF World Junior Championships in 2009 and 2011.
Orpik, 37, led the Capitals with 168 blocked shots and ranked second on the team, and first among Washington defensemen, with 218 hits in 2017-18. He recorded 10 points (0g, 10a) in 81 regular-season appearances and five points (1g, 4a) in 24 postseason contests. The San Francisco, Calif., native has 185 points (16g, 169a) in 982 career regular-season games and 24 points (3g, 21a) in 149 total playoff outings. He's a two-time Stanley Cup champion, also winning with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2009, an Olympic silver medalist (Team USA, 2010) and has also won an NCAA national championship (Boston College, 2001). Orpik ranks first among defensemen in Penguins history in games played (703) and was named the team's Defensive Player of the Year on three occasions (2009-10, 2010-11, 2011-12).