Photo: Zimbio

The Washington Capitals acquired the 47th overall pick in the second round from the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for defenseman Brooks Orpik and goaltender Philipp Grubauer, the team announced roughly half an hour before the NHL Draft in Dallas on Friday evening. 

Trading Orpik and Grubauer give the Capitals $21,215,705 worth of cap space with defenseman John Carlson, defenseman Michal Kempny, center Jay Beagle, winger Alex Chiasson, and defenseman Jakub Jerabek set to become unrestricted free agents and wingers Tom Wilson and Devante Smith-Pelly and defenseman Madison Bowey set to become restricted free agents.

“We would like to thank Brooks and Philipp for all of their contributions to our organization,” said MacLellan. “Philipp has been a consummate professional and a great teammate and we wish him all the best. Brooks was a great leader and a tremendous role model for our young players in his four years with our organization. This was a difficult move, but the one we felt we needed to make in order to give some flexibility moving forward.”

Orpik, who will enter the final season of a 5-year contract worth $27.5 million ($5.5 million AAV), tallied 10 assists in 81 games and one goal and five points in 24 playoff games. Orpik, 37, led the Capitals with a +17 rating in the playoffs but was a -9 in the regular season, the worst on the team. During his career in Washington, Orpik recorded 53 points (three goals) and 830 hits in 279 games with the Capitals. He was signed by Washington on July 1, 2014, after spending 14 years in the Pittsburgh Penguins organization.

“Brooks was a great leader and a tremendous role model for our young players in his four years with our organization. This was a difficult move, but the one we felt we needed to make in order to give some flexibility moving forward.” GM Brian MacLellan

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) June 22, 2018

Grubauer, who is set to become a restricted free agent July 1, went 15-10-3 with a 2.35 goals against average and a save percentage of .923. The 26-year old German netminder was arguably the NHL’s best goaltender from Thanksgiving to the end of the regular season, posting a save percentage of .937 and a goals-against average of 1.93. Grubauer, who was drafted by the Capitals in the fourth round in 2010, went 15-5-2 in that span and won over the starting job from Braden Holtby after he went through a 1-5-2 stretch. He posted a 43-31-11 record in 101 career games with the Capitals with a 2.29 goals against average and a .923 save percentage

“Philipp has been a consummate professional and a great teammate and we wish him all the best.” GM Brian MacLellan

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) June 22, 2018

Statistically, Holtby had the worst season of his career with a career-high 2.99 goals against average and a career-low .907 save percentage. But after Grubauer allowed eight goals in the first five periods of Round 1 against the Columbus Blue Jackets, Holtby replaced him and never looked back en route to the franchise’s first Stanley Cup. Holtby posted 16-7 record with a save percentage of .922 and a goals-against average of 2.16.

Grubauer and Orpik will make their returns to Washington on Thursday, February 7 at 7:00 PM. The Capitals and Avalanche will also face off on Friday, November 16 at 9:00 PM at Pepsi Center in Denver.

By Harrison Brown