Batya's back! Brooks Orpik signs a one-year contract with Capitals

Batya’s back! Brooks Orpik signs a one-year contract with Capitals

LAS VEGAS, NV - JUNE 07: Brooks Orpik #44 and Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals pose with the Stanley Cup in celebration after their team defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 4-3 in Game Five of the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Final at the T-Mobile Arena on June 7, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

After winning his second Stanley Cup, many thought Brooks Orpik would be headed for a big trade, if not retirement. It turns out, he’ll be starting the 2019 season back with the Capitals.

Because the offseason for the Capitals can’t get any weirder, they have re-acquired defenseman Brooks Orpik in a $1 million turn of events.

Orpik, now 37 years old and ancient by hockey standards, will continue his reign with the Caps after being traded this summer to the Colorado Avalanche alongside former Capital, Philipp Grubauer. Orpik was originally let go to free up cap space for the inordinately large contract of John Carlson, as well as the two more respectable contracts of Michal Kempny and Devante Smith-Pelly.

The Colorado Avalanche bought out Orpik almost immediately after his trade, forcing him into free agency. If the Capitals have made one thing clear, they’re looking to go back to back with their Stanley Cup win. This has led GM Brian MacLellan and new Head Coach Todd Reirden to attempt to recreate the chemistry of last year by signing as many of the 2018 Champions as possible… come hell or high water, apparently.

MacLellan even told the Washington Post, “Brooks has been a valuable player and a great mentor for our young players, and we are thrilled to bring him back to our organization. We feel his leadership and competitiveness on and off the ice will be welcomed back to our group.”

Lovingly known as “Batya” (a colloquialism in Russian for Father) by his teammates, he holds a role more so mental than physical among them. His speed is nothing to write home about, and he scored his first goal since 2016 during this year’s playoffs. So this could definitely be considered a moral move for the Capitals. They want to keep the hype going from this year’s win, and if it takes a significant salary drop for Orpik, it seems he’s on board either way.

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For most Capitals fans it will be interesting to see if Orpik even makes the starting lineup. The Caps just re-upped defenseman Madison Bowey’s contract, so strategically, he might be where they’re placing their bets. Either way, it will hit that sentimental heartstring in all Caps fan’s hearts to see Batya out there once again.

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