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Washington Capitals: Brooks Orpik deserves a hand

By Ron Juckett

WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 12:Washington Capitals defenseman Brooks Orpik (44) places his daughter Brooklyn, 1, into the Stanley Cup before the start of a parade on Tuesday, June 12, 2018, in honor of the team winning the NHL Stanley Cup.(Photo by Jonathan Newton/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 12:Washington Capitals defenseman Brooks Orpik (44) places his daughter Brooklyn, 1, into the Stanley Cup before the start of a parade on Tuesday, June 12, 2018, in honor of the team winning the NHL Stanley Cup.(Photo by Jonathan Newton/The Washington Post via Getty Images) /
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Washington Capitals defenseman Brooks Orpik lost part of a finger during the Stanley Cup Finals. He then won the Cup. A fair trade.

The Washington Capitals gave their blood, sweat and a few tears on their way to winning the Stanley Cup. In Brooks Orpik’s case, part of his left-pinkie finger too.

During the latter stages of Game 2, Orpik’s finger was slashed by Vegas Golden Knights left-winger Erik Haula. The cut severed the tip of Orpik’s finger and was immediately reattached by the Caps training staff.

In the rich history of hockey players gutting out injuries that border on insane, this one takes the cake. Orpik played the rest of the finals without missing a beat. Add another hand injury which might require surgery, and his efforts turn into legend.

Somehow, he squeezed off a shot on goal in Game 3. In Game 4; he blocked six shots. The last three games, Orpik delivered 15 hits while logging his normal 18-20 shifts a night. You think he wanted his second Cup ring?

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The more serious hand injury, which Orpik did not go into as much detail, happened in their first-round series against the Columbus Blue Jackets. It is uncertain when a decision will come on whether he has surgery.

Amazingly at 37, Orpik has the best playoffs of his career. In 24 games, his five points tops his last Cup-winning performance with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2009. Averaging under 17 minutes a night, he blocked 50 shots over the postseason. When he earned his first championship at 28, he blocked 51 playing roughly 20 minutes a game.

The regular season was not as kind to Orpik.

A third-line defender, Orpik managed ten assists and a minus-9 plus-minus rating. Although he played the most games of his career with 81, it is safe to say his best contributions came outside the stat sheet.

The playoffs tell a different story. Outside the hits and blocked shots, Orpik led the NHL with a playoff plus-minus of 17. His goal in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Finals was his first playoff goal since 2014 with Pittsburgh and his first of any kind since February 26, 2016. Poor Darcy Kuemper allowed that tally for the Minnesota Wild.

Next: Grubauer on trade market

Fans of Brooks Orpik were delighted with his resurgence in Washington’s championship run. But, what impressed his Washington Capitals teammates most was reaching a higher level playing with serious injuries. Slicing part of a finger off qualifies.

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