2 – Number of players who currently rank in the League’s top-ten in both hits and blocked shots: Washington’s Brooks Orpik and Toronto’s Roman Polak. Orpik’s 51 hits and 37 blocks are the ninth- and seventh-highest totals in those categories; Polak has 61 (fourth) and 38 (sixth) respectively.
A season ago, Troy Brouwer led the Caps in hits with 210 (28th-most) and John Carlson led them in blocks with 177 (fifth-most).
Of course, it’s also worth pointing out that Orpik is tied for seventh in the League for the most goals-allowed while on-ice, with 20 (seven of which have come on the penalty kill), which isn’t all on him – only seven blueliners in the League (including Karl Alzner) have a lower on-ice save percentage at five-on-five.