Thank you Dmitry Orlov

It’s always hard to say goodbye to someone especially when you’ve watched them grow up. Whether it’s a player getting drafted or your kid graduating high school or college, it’s always emotional. Dmitry Orlov was drafted by the Washington Capitals in the second round at 55th overall in 2009. He would make his debut in the 2011-12 season and from the moment he stepped on the ice, he was always reliable.

Orlov’s best season offensively was in the 2021 COVID shortened season where he recorded 12 goals and 23 assists for 35 points. This season before leaving the Caps he had three goals and 16 assists for 19 points. During the 2017-18 Stanley Cup run Orlov had 10 goals and 21 assists for 31 points in the regular season and two goals and six assists for eight points in the playoffs.

Orlov finishes his Capitals career unless there’s a reunion playing in 686 games with 60 goals and 196 assists for 256 points in the regular season and two goals and 21 assists for 23 points in 74 playoff games. Joining him on the Bruins is Garnet Hathaway and we’ll have a thank you piece for him later this afternoon. So far the two have suited up in one game which was a 3-1 win at the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday.

Tonight they’re at the Edmonton Oilers. When Orlov made his Bruins debut he was on the top defensive pair with Charlie McAvoy.

Back to Orlov’s time with the Caps. He was very reliable on either the first or second pair and his absence leaves a void on the Capitals defense making things harder for Darcy Kuemper such as the case yesterday against the Buffalo Sabres.

He also had an incredible bond with the other Russian player on the Capitals including Alex Ovechkin and Evgeny Kuznetsov. Seeing one of your friends go must be hard. But alas sports is a business.

Thank you Dmitry Orlov for your contributions to the Cup run. Best of luck with the Bruins except of course if the Caps somehow miraculously get in the playoffs and face them in the first round.