Orpik said he will take some time to decide his playing future, Isabelle Khurshudyan of The Washington Post reports.
Orpik missed 27 games during the 2018-19 season with a knee injury and admitted the effects of the injury lingered for the rest of the year. The 38-year-old's career is certainly in its twilight, but the two-time Stanley Cup-winner will take plenty of time to decide his next step. While his presence as a physical force and vocal leader would likely be welcomed back by an NHL team in 2019-20, father time has likely all but erased most of his fantasy value.
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Capitals' Brooks Orpik: Unlikely OT hero
Rotowire
Orpik scored the overtime winner in Saturday's 4-3 win over the Hurricanes in Game 2 of their first-round series.
The 38-year-old blueliner swooped into the zone and blasted a centering pass from Evgeny Kuznetsov right by Hurricanes goalie Petr Mrazek to end overtime just 1:48 into the extra frame. Scoring isn't Orpik's primary skill, as he had only two goals and nine points in 53 games this season, his lowest mark since posting eight points in the lockout-shortened 2012-13 campaign. He already has two points and 11 hits in this series so far, with Saturday's goal giving the Capitals the 2-0 series lead.
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Capitals' Brooks Orpik: Picks apple in win
Rotowire
Orpik recorded an assist and seven hits over 17:27 of ice time in Thursday's 4-2 win over Carolina.
Orpik earned a secondary assist after gathering the loose puck behind Washington's net and advancing it to John Carlson, who found Nicklas Backstrom for the score. Thursday's point is the California native's first since earning an assist against the Hurricanes on March 28. Orpik's seven hits in this contest were a season high, giving him 131 over 53 games in this campaign.
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Capitals' Brooks Orpik: Bags apple Thursday
Rotowire
Orpik tallied an assist, a plus-2 rating and six hits during Thursday's 3-2 win over the Hurricanes.
The helper snapped a 10-game scoring drought for Orpik, bringing him to two goals and nine points in 49 games. The 38-year-old will be relied upon heavily in the defensive zone following the injury to Michal Kempny (leg) but can be safely ignored in most fantasy formats due to his lack of offensive production.
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Capitals' Brooks Orpik: Unlocks second performance bonus
Rotowire
Orpik was granted a $250,000 bonus for appearing in his 40th game of the season Friday against the Hurricanes, Isabelle Khurshudyan of The Washington Post reports. The defenseman recorded 18:20 of ice time in the 8-1 road win.
According to CapFriendly, Orpik has now earned two performance bonuses, with $250,000 incentives given to him at the 20- and 40-game levels. The pending unrestricted free agent will be 39 years old by the time the 2019-20 season rolls around, so we'll wait to see whether he has any interest in continuing his career.
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Capitals' Brooks Orpik: Riding rare point streak
Rotowire
Orpik tallied an assist, two hits and two blocked shots during Tuesday's 7-2 win over the Senators.
Orpik has a shocking two assists over his last two games, which is quite the feat for a defenseman better known for rugged play in his own zone. Despite the offensive explosion, the 38-year-old has still managed just seven points in 36 games.
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Capitals' Brooks Orpik: Dishes helper Sunday
Rotowire
Orpik registered an assist, two shots, three hits and four penalty minutes during Sunday's 6-5 overtime win against the Rangers.
Orpik had registered no points, a minus-6 rating and just six shots in his previous 11 outings and has managed just six points in 35 games this season. The 38-year-old can be safely ignored in most fantasy formats but might see an improvement in his plus/minus with the reliable Nicklas Jensen now playing on his right flank.
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Capitals' Brooks Orpik: Planned rest before break
Rotowire
Orpik will take a planned rest night Wednesday against the Maple Leafs, Mike Vogel of the Capitals' official site reports.
Fortunately, it appears Orpik has avoided setbacks related to his maintenance day Monday, but the veteran will get an extra day of rest heading into the All-Star break. He should rejoin the defensive pairings when the Capitals return to play on Feb. 1 against the Flames.
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Capitals' Brooks Orpik: Expected to play Tuesday
Rotowire
Orpik, who took a maintenance day Monday, is expected to be in the lineup Tuesday against the Sharks, Isabelle Khurshudyan of The Washington Post reports.
Maintenance days are likely going to be a regular thing for the 38-year-old defenseman as Washington tries to keep him fresh for a potential defense of its Stanley Cup title this spring. Fantasy owners can only help it jumpstarts his production, which sits at two goals and four points in 21 games.
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Capitals' Brooks Orpik: Logs 1,000th NHL game
Rotowire
Orpik recorded one shot and four hits while logging 14:14 of ice time during Monday's 4-1 loss to the Blues.
Orpik leads all defensemen in hits (3,067) and is second in blocked shots (1,860) since entering the NHL in 2005-06, in addition to racking up 17 goals and 188 points in 1,000 games. The 38-year-old defender has been an invaluable stay-at-home defender for the Capitals since his arrival in 2013-14, but with just one goal and three points in 18 games this season, fantasy owners not looking for contributions in the aforementioned peripheral categories should look elsewhere.
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Capitals' Brooks Orpik: Contributes helper Friday
Rotowire
Orpik recorded an assist, two hits and two blocked shots during Friday's 2-1 loss to the Stars.
The helper is Orpik's first point since returning from a knee injury that cost him 27 games. The 38-year-old is up to a goal and three points in 13 games which, although a blistering scoring pace by his standards, is not enough to percolate much fantasy interest outside of deeper leagues where his prowess in hits (39) and blocked shots (14) is valued.
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Capitals' Brooks Orpik: Returning to lineup
Rotowire
Orpik (knee) will be in the lineup for Monday's matinee against the Predators, Isabelle Khurshudyan of The Washington Post reports.
Orpik has missed the last 27 games with a knee injury and will be a welcome addition to a Capitals team in need of a boost on the penalty kill (77.3 percent). The 39-year-old is expected to play alongside Madison Bowey on the third pairing, but with only two points in 10 games and coming off a significant absence, his fantasy value is limited to deeper leagues that count hits and blocked shots.
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Capitals' Brooks Orpik: Back after weekend?
Rotowire
Orpik (knee) could return Monday against the Predators, Tom Gulitti of NHL.com reports.
Orpik was quickly ruled out for Thursday's home game against the Hurricanes, though the plan is for the 38-year-old defenseman to log a full practice Friday and endure morning skate Saturday. Orpik has accumulated 17 goals, 170 assists and 942 penalty minutes in his career. He's eight games away from 1,000.
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Capitals' Brooks Orpik: Won't play Thursday
Rotowire
Orpik (knee) took part in Thursday's game-day skate in a regular jersey but won't suit up versus Carolina, Isabelle Khurshudyan of The Washington Post reports.
Orpik will miss his 26th consecutive game due to his knee injury, but the fact that he has been cleared for contact at practice is a step in the right direction. Once the veteran is given the all-clear, Jonas Siegenthaler figures to be the odd man out of the lineup.
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Capitals' Brooks Orpik: Return not imminent
Rotowire
Orpik (knee) will not resume playing until after Christmas, JJ Regan of NBC Sports Washington reports.
The Capitals have been without the veteran stalwart since Oct. 27. Orpik reportedly was on the ice Wednesday, albeit in a non-contract jersey. Even when he returns to game action, fantasy owners won't be flocking to pick him up. Now 38 years old, the California native has only eclipsed the 20-point barrier once in 14 years of NHL service time, having done so with the Penguins in the 2009-10 campaign.
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Capitals' Brooks Orpik: Not skating yet
Rotowire
Orpik (knee) is progressing, but has not resumed skating yet according to head coach Todd Reirden, Tom Gulitti of NHL.com reports.
Orpik hasn't played a game since October, and it seems clear that his return isn't imminent. If he's not skating at this point, one begins to wonder if it will be 2019 before the 38-year-old defenseman is ready to rejoin the Capitals' lineup.
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Capitals' Brooks Orpik: Undergoes arthroscopic surgery
Rotowire
Orpik underwent an outpatient arthroscopic surgical procedure on his right knee Tuesday and is expected to be sidelined for four-to-six weeks.
Orpik's lengthy absence will test Washington's depth at defense, but it won't affect many fantasy lineups, as the veteran blueliner has only totaled 24 points in 170 appearances over the past three campaigns. Another update on his status should surface once he's able to resume skating.
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Capitals' Brooks Orpik: Shifted to LTIR
Rotowire
Orpik (lower body) was placed on long-term injured reserve Friday, with the transaction retroactive to Oct. 27 -- his last game played -- Tom Gulitti of NHL.com reports.
Orpik will not be eligible to return until Nov. 21, when the Capitals face the Blackhawks at home. Since John Carlson is dealing with a lower-body injury of his own, the Capitals called up both Aaron Ness and Jonas Siegenthaler to shore up the blue-line corps ahead of Friday's home game against the Blue Jackets.
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Capitals' Brooks Orpik: Out again Wednesday
Rotowire
Orpik (lower body) will miss his fourth consecutive game Wednesday night when the Capitals square off against the Penguins, Isabelle Khurshudyan of The Washington Post reports.
The Capitals have lost two of the past three games without the services of Orpik. Christian Djoos and Madison Bowey continue to round out the bottom pair in the veteran's absence, though they only have a pair of points between them, so look elsewhere for a replacement to Orpik in fantasy games.
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Capitals' Brooks Orpik: Ruled out Saturday
Rotowire
Orpik (lower body) will not play in Saturday's game against the Stars but is listed as day-to-day, JJ Regan of NBC Sports Washington reports.
Orpik's absence from practice Friday foreshadowed this outcome, but now any possibility of his return to the lineup Saturday can be put to bed. With that being the case, look for Madison Bowey to fill in again until Orpik gains clearance for game action.
