Philipp Grubauer has earned the chance to be a starting goalie in the NHL. But that’s not happening with the Washington Capitals.
Going into the 2016-17 season, the Washington Capitals knew they were going to have to rely on backup goalie Philipp Grubauer more. After an up and down first full season as the Caps backup goalie, nobody was sure if he was fully ready for a larger role on the team.
Grubauer proved everyone wrong. One could argue he was better than Braden Holtby (albeit in a much smaller sample size). While he didn’t qualify for the William Jennings Trophy, he played a huge role in the Caps success this season.
All stats are courtesy of Puckalytics.
2016-17 Stats
- 24 games played (25 including postseason)
- 19 starts
- 13-6-2 record
- 2.04 goals against average
- .9265 save percentage, all situations
- .9398 even strength save percentage
- 27.76 shots against per 60 minutes, all situations
- 26.26 shots against per 60 minutes at even strength
The Good
Grubauer was arguably the best backup goalie in the NHL this season. Among goalies with at least 500 minutes at even strength, he ranked third in even strength save percentage. Grubauer trailed only Aaron Dell of the San Jose Sharks and Craig Anderson of the Ottawa Senators.
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Among goalies with at least 500 minutes during all situations, he ranked fifth, just ahead of Holtby (who was sixth). Grubauer faced easier competition than his partner, but still had success. No matter what metric you look at, he was great.
Most teams suffer a noticeable drop off when their backup goalie plays. This didn’t happen with the Capitals and that’s a testament to how great Grubauer was.
The Bad
He did have a weakness, and it was on the penalty kill. Among goalies with at least 50 minutes shorthanded, Grubauer finished 21st out of 62. It’s better than average, but it’s still a clear drop off from his other numbers.
Hopefully, you didn’t buy a Grubauer sweater this season. Unless you enjoy wearing the sweater of former players. The Vegas Golden Knights would be silly to not choose Grubauer. Sure, there are going to be other young goalies available. However, none of them have the NHL pedigree Grubauer does. Even if George McPhee goes after someone like Malcolm Subban, Linus Ulmark or Joonas Korpisalo, he should go after the Capitals backup goalie too. Because you can never have too many quality goaltenders.
Future
Grubauer should start looking for a condo in Vegas right now. Because that’s where he will most likely be next season. This is the curse of being an excellent team – people covet your players. And quite frankly, who can blame McPhee if he selects Grubauer?
Next: Top 10 goalies in franchise history
Player Grade
Discussion
What casino on the Vegas Strip should Grubauer check out? Will he be the best thing to hit Vegas since Mike Tyson? Discuss these questions and more in the comments!