Comments / New

2018-19 Rink Wrap: Brooks Orpik

Regular season

Playoffs

Key Stat: At 38 years and 199 days old, Brooks Orpik became the oldest defenseman in NHL history to score an overtime goal in the Stanley Cup Playoffs after scoring the game-winning goal in Game 2 of the series against the Carolina Hurricanes.

The Good: Really, who would’ve thought that Orpik would be the OT hero in Game 2 against Carolina? Though you certainly would’ve liked to see the series end a different way, it was nice (and unexpected) moment for one of the team’s vets. After a frustrating season all around for Orpik, a moment of glory in the playoffs was certainly reason to celebrate.

While Orpik’s on-ice product left a lot to be desired, he has been a loyal foot-soldier for the Caps and a favorite in the locker room. Still, it is hard to picture a 2019-20 season with Orpik rocking the red.

The Bad: Orpik was hindered by a nagging knee injury throughout the regular season, which sidelined him from late October to late December. Orpik’s age, coupled with his lingering ailment, prevented him from playing a truly effective role on the ice.

While the Caps were able to bring back Orpik on a bargain one-year deal this season, the cap crunch ahead of them makes it unlikely that Orpik will play for the Caps next year – if he plays at all. Say what you will about Orpik’s play, one thing is clear: the team loves him and has benefited from his presence, even if that benefit is not on the ice.

The Video:

The Charts:

The Discussion: With the summer ahead to address his lingering knee injury, questions remain as to whether Orpik for suit up for another season. By the start of next season, Orpik will be 39 years old – what would be a reason to bring him back? What would it take for you to give him a ‘10’ next season?

Other Orpik Season Reviews: RMNB

The Vote: Rate Orpik below on a scale of 1-10 (10 being the best) based on his performance relative to his potential and your expectations for the season – if he had the best year you could have imagined him having, give him a 10; if he more or less played as you expected he would, give him a 5 or a 6; if he had the worst year you could have imagined him having, give him a 1.

0 0 votes
Article Rating
Subscribe
Notify of
guest
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
%d bloggers like this: