Richard Brooks Orpik (born September 26, 1980) is an American professional ice hockey defenseman and alternate captain for the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League (NHL). He has previously played for the Pittsburgh Penguins, with whom he won the Stanley Cup in 2009, and won his second Stanley Cup with Washington nearly a decade later in 2018. As the oldest player on the team, his Russian teammates fondly refer to him as "Batya"[2] ("father" or "dad")[3] and is one of the most respected players on the team.[2]

Personal life [ edit ]

Orpik was born in San Francisco, California, a few months after the U.S. "Miracle on Ice" win over the Soviet Union in Lake Placid, New York, in 1980. Due to this, he was named after Team USA Olympic Head Coach Herb Brooks.[4] Orpik, and his brother Andrew, grew up in Amherst, New York. Orpik attended the Nichols School in Buffalo and Thayer Academy in Braintree, Massachusetts.[5]

He is married to Erin Orpik and has two daughters.[6]

Playing career [ edit ]

Collegiate [ edit ]

Orpik played three seasons for Boston College, winning the Hockey East post-season championship in 1999 and 2001, as well as the NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Championship in 2001. His younger brother Andrew was also a hockey player, playing for Boston College and having a brief minor league career.

Professional [ edit ]

Orpik was drafted in the first round, 18th overall, of the 2000 NHL Entry Draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins. He began his professional career with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the American Hockey League (AHL) during the 2001–02 season. He made his NHL debut during the 2002–03 season, playing in six games and recording no points. After earning a permanent roster spot on the team the next year, Orpik played in 79 games, registering one goal, nine assists and 127 penalty minutes.

Orpik signed a six-year, $22.5 million contract extension in the summer of 2008 with the Penguins.[7] In October 2008, he was named an alternate captain (interim while Sergei Gonchar was injured) of the Penguins, along with Evgeni Malkin, behind captain Sidney Crosby.

Orpik with the Penguins in 2012.

On June 12, 2009, Orpik and the Penguins became Stanley Cup champions by defeating the Detroit Red Wings in Game 7 of the 2009 Stanley Cup Finals.[8] He was the first native of California to win the Stanley Cup.

On December 17, 2011, Orpik recorded his 100th career point by earning an assist on Evgeni Malkin's goal on Ryan Miller at Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh.[9]

On May 11, 2013, Orpik scored the game-winning goal in overtime of Game 6 to eliminate the New York Islanders and advance Pittsburgh to the second round of the 2013 Stanley Cup playoffs; it was his first career Stanley Cup playoff goal.[10]

On December 7, 2013, Orpik hit Boston Bruins forward Loui Eriksson, resulting in a concussion to the latter. While Orpik lay on the ice due to a confrontation with a Bruins player, Shawn Thornton delivered a punch, resulting in a concussion for Orpik. Thornton was suspended for 15 games for the incident. [11]

On July 1, 2014, the Washington Capitals signed Orpik to a five-year, $27.5 million contract as an unrestricted free agent.[12]

In Game 2 of Washington's 2016 playoff series against the Pittsburgh Penguins, Orpik delivered an illegal and late hit to Pittsburgh defenseman Olli Määttä, making contact with Määttä's head. Orpik was suspended three games for the late hit and Määttä returned a few games later to finish, and help win, the series.[13]

During his fourth year with the Capitals, in the 2017–18 season, Orpik was Washington's nomination for the King Clancy Memorial Trophy as a player who best exemplifies leadership qualities and gives back to his community on April 23, 2018.[14] In the 2018 playoffs, on May 30, 2018, Orpik scored the game-winning goal in Game 2 of the 2018 Stanley Cup Finals against the Vegas Golden Knights. It was also the first time Orpik had scored a goal since February 20, 2016.[15] On June 7, 2018, Orpik and the Capitals went on to win the Stanley Cup against the Golden Knights in five games. This was the first Stanley Cup for the Capitals and the second finals victory for Orpik.

On June 22, 2018, less than three weeks after winning the Stanley Cup for the second time, and due to salary cap considerations, Orpik was traded by the Capitals to the Colorado Avalanche (alongside goaltender Philipp Grubauer) in exchange for Colorado's second-round pick in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft.[16] He was immediately informed by Avalanche general manager Joe Sakic that he would be moved to a preferred destination or bought-out from the remaining year of his original five-year contract with the Capitals. He was placed on unconditional waivers the following day and on June 24, 2018, he was released to free agency by the Avalanche. On July 24, the Capitals signed him to a one-year, $1 million contract, allowing him to return to the team he had just won the Stanley Cup with, after being bought-out by Colorado.[17]

International play [ edit ]

In 1999, Orpik competed for the United States in the World Junior Ice Hockey Championships in Stockholm.[18]

In 2009, Orpik was invited to the USA Hockey orientation camp, from August 17 to 19, in preparation for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.[19] Orpik was selected to Team USA for the Olympic squad, which finished with a silver medal finish behind Canada.[20]

Career statistics [ edit ]

Regular season and playoffs [ edit ]

Regular season Playoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 1998–99 Boston College HE 41 1 10 11 96 — — — — — 1999–00 Boston College HE 38 1 9 10 104 — — — — — 2000–01 Boston College HE 40 0 20 20 124 — — — — — 2001–02 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins AHL 78 2 18 20 99 — — — — — 2002–03 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins AHL 71 4 14 18 105 6 0 0 0 14 2002–03 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 6 0 0 0 2 — — — — — 2003–04 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 79 1 9 10 127 — — — — — 2003–04 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins AHL 3 0 0 0 2 24 0 4 4 5 2005–06 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 64 2 7 9 124 — — — — — 2006–07 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 70 0 6 6 82 5 0 0 0 8 2007–08 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 78 1 10 11 57 20 0 2 2 18 2008–09 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 79 2 17 19 73 24 0 4 4 22 2009–10 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 73 2 23 25 64 13 0 2 2 12 2010–11 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 63 1 12 13 66 7 0 3 3 14 2011–12 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 73 2 16 18 61 6 0 0 0 4 2012–13 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 46 0 8 8 32 12 1 1 2 10 2013–14 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 72 2 11 13 46 5 1 1 2 0 2014–15 Washington Capitals NHL 78 0 19 19 66 14 0 2 2 8 2015–16 Washington Capitals NHL 41 3 7 10 24 6 0 0 0 10 2016–17 Washington Capitals NHL 79 0 14 14 48 13 0 2 2 11 2017–18 Washington Capitals NHL 81 0 10 10 68 24 1 4 5 15 NHL totals 982 16 169 185 940 149 3 21 24 132

International [ edit ]

Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM 2000 United States WJC 4th 7 1 1 2 6 2006 United States WC 7th 7 0 0 0 10 2010 United States Oly 6 0 0 0 0 2014 United States Oly 4th 6 0 0 0 2 Junior totals 7 1 1 2 6 Senior totals 19 0 0 0 12

Awards and honors [ edit ]

Orpik receives the Penguins Defensive Player of the Year Award for 2009–10.