Confirmed with Link: D Brooks Orpik signed (five years, $5.5M per)

[SpringfieldSkins]

Decent now... what the hell is he going to be like in a year or two.

How many defensive d man were bought out just yesterday alone? They don't age well

I think defensemen, especially defensive defensemen age better than any players aside from goaltenders. You can lose a step and still play well if you're positionally sound. It's harder to lose a step as a forward.

That said, he's going to be what, 39/40 when his contract is up? That's a lot or guarantee.

 

[XanderCrews34]

I think defensemen, especially defensive defensemen age better than any players aside from goaltenders. You can lose a step and still play well if you're positionally sound. It's harder to lose a step as a forward.

That said, he's going to be what, 39/40 when his contract is up? That's a lot or guarantee.

I really loved Orpik for his work during the Cup runs a few years ago but as a Pens fan I really want to warn you that he is not aging well. You're absolutely right that if a Dman remains positionally sound, they can play a long time. However Orpik's positioning and net front responsibilities have been atrocious. I really actually hope he finds a second wind in WSH but man, I can't believe he got $5.5 mil outta you guys.

 

[SpringfieldSkins]

I really loved Orpik for his work during the Cup runs a few years ago but as a Pens fan I really want to warn you that he is not aging well. You're absolutely right that if a Dman remains positionally sound, they can play a long time. However Orpik's positioning and net front responsibilities have been atrocious. I really actually hope he finds a second wind in WSH but man, I can't believe he got $5.5 mil outta you guys.

Yeah, I was surprised at both the price and length.

Hope Trotz can help him along. Either way, it has to be better than what was at 2D and 3D last season. People were crying defense. Now we have defense and people are crying about that.

 

[OV Rocks]

The more I sit on this signing the more I do not mind it. When was the last time the Caps had a real veteran stay at home defenseman in their line-up? His leadership on the line to me is worth an extra million along with the hole that we have been needing to fill for a very long time. Willie Mitchell signed for 4.25M, I am ok with it for now, three or four years from now might be different

 

[member 51464]

How is the Caps locker room? Orpik is a guy who will **** up all night and then spend the post-game throwing everyone else under the bus.

 

[Halpysback*]

How is the Caps locker room? Orpik is a guy who will **** up all night and then spend the post-game throwing everyone else under the bus.

Perfect, he can join the other overpaid Brooks and form the Brooks BSing Brigade

 

[RandyHolt]

Brooks Brothers ™

 

[PuckSeparator]

Caps management should have given Bergevin 2 2nds or something for Gorges if they knew they were considering signing Orpik to that kind of money.

 

[RandyHolt]

I am torn, what is worse, the cap hit, or the term.

Sure, he will improve our D, but its almost like he is being rewarded for being a good foot soldier for Pitt, more than anything. Its funny we had him projected as a potential bottom pair option, or maybe 2nd pair. Nope he is top dog doubling Alzner's salary IIRC.

This guy Reirden is fast becoming a fav of management.

Hearing people describing his recent game, it's sounds a bit like Erskine's.

 

[Hivemind]

Hearing people describing his recent game, it's sounds a bit like Erskine's.

He's still much more mobile that Erskine. But he's similarly likely to over commit at the wrong times, and doesn't clear the net at the right ones.

 

[EroCaps]

Yeah, I was surprised at both the price and length.

Hope Trotz can help him along. Either way, it has to be better than what was at 2D and 3D last season. People were crying defense. Now we have defense and people are crying about that.

You don't "have defense" by overpaying for ****** defense.

 

[Blades of Steel]

He's still much more mobile that Erskine. But he's similarly likely to over commit at the wrong times, and doesn't clear the net at the right ones.

Hang on... When was the last time you've seen a caps player clear in front of the net to begin with?

 

[RandyHolt]

He's still much more mobile that Erskine. But he's similarly likely to over commit at the wrong times, and doesn't clear the net at the right ones.

Thanks for the input. Just seeing his salary damn he better be more mobile than ole Erskine.

I have to say I appreciate trying to address a decade long issue by upgrading the D heavy on day 1 of FA, but it seems like it was with no regard for cap issues. Kind of like their draft mentality last week, pushing all in on certain players that they had targeted.

How is that knee... was it a major injury? I see he got taken off on a stretcher after getting sucker punched by Thornton in December, I presume it was a concussion.

At least we have added a D that will hit. He may well be the only one, but its a start. I feel we will NEVER win a cup if only 1 defensemen is not afraid to throw hits.

 

[ReggietheSavage15]

I just don't know what to think for the long term. What I do believe is that this franchise realizes that the window to win w/ Ovechkin and Backstrom is slowly closing. The money they spent today is absurd, but they are going all in on trying to compete for a cup. There is no doubt that our defensive corps today is 10x better than what it was to end the year. We have a legit top-4 and our bottom 2 aren't going to be shabby as well.

What's done is done w/ the contracts. We can sit here and complain until we are blue in the face, but there is nothing we can do. All we can do is hope that Trotz works his magic and makes this unit elite. He did wonders in Nashville, and on paper, this is about as talented of a group that he's probably coached in the pros. Let's just hope for the best.

 

[Dream Big]

Perhaps Girardi and MacDonald were used as comparables but this isn't arbitration and Orpik doesn't bring as much offense as those two. Otherwise, defensive-defensemen don't get paid $5M+ and those two are both younger and bring more offense to the table.

This is a contract that falls under 'the best move is no move territory' so the Gorges stuff can really be set aside. The cap has gone up and such when it comes to past long-term deals but even then it's hard to argue paying this out to a soon-to-be 34 year-old.

He's 33 until September. Willi Michell is 37 and still decent. He seemed to tick all the Caps "need" boxes.

Maybe defensive d are becoming rare, therefore more valuable and harder to obtain? Also that history of players not wanting to come here looms in the back of my mind.

If Orpik is healthy he could be exactly what the Caps were looking for. Reirdon in his interview was pumping Orpik's tire. He knows his injury history. I'm sure he was asked. He wouldn't lie if he didn't think Orpik could go.

I'm looking forward to what he will bring. High hopes for Stanley.

 

[ReggietheSavage15]

Dream Big;87511425]He's 33 until September. Willi Michell is 37 and still decent. He seemed to tick all the Caps "need" boxes.

Maybe defensive d are becoming rare, therefore more valuable and harder to obtain? Also that history of players not wanting to come here looms in the back of my mind.

If Orpik is healthy he could be exactly what the Caps were looking for. Reirdon in his interview was pumping Orpik's tire. He knows his injury history. I'm sure he was asked. He wouldn't lie if he didn't think Orpik could go.

I'm looking forward to what he will bring. High hopes for Stanley.

That's about right...LOL

 

[Hivemind]

Just a reminder that Brooks Orpik missed games in the playoffs last year on two separate occasions for lower body injuries, and a healthy portion of the regular season after being stretchered off the ice thanks to Shawn Thornton mugging and concussing him.

 

[Liberati0n*]

Just a reminder that Brooks Orpik missed games in the playoffs last year on two separate occasions for lower body injuries, and a healthy portion of the regular season after being stretchered off the ice thanks to Shawn Thornton mugging and concussing him.

That bodes well for getting his space back through LTIR at some point at least.

 

[Captain Hook]

It's going to be so weird seeing Orpik in a Caps jersey. I've watched him closely in Pittsburgh. He isn't a good puck mover so he'll need a good PMD partner like Green or Niskanen. I don't remember him playing much with Niskanen in Pittsburgh though. I'm sure it happened at times with all of our injuries on D but it was never a regular thing for them to play together.

He isn't painfully slow or anything. He's still a surprisingly mobile guy at least in terms of straight ahead speed. Some have questioned if his lateral and backwards skating have declined a bit but I don't think mobility is a huge issue with him. He's a left side defender. He's always played the left with mostly one of Gonchar, Letang or Paul Martin on the right over his career. I can't ever remember him playing the right side himself. He's physical but it's sporadic. He doesn't bring that element every game but he has a size and speed combination that allows him to generate huge collisions when he wants to. Usually he kind of paces himself for the long season and he's usually been able to elevate his game up a bit more in the playoffs.

Decision making is where he struggles the most but you could say that for most Pens D-Men, which leads me to believe some of it was Bylsma's idiotic coaching/system. Maybe Trotz can keep things more simple for Brooks and limit those bad decisions.

Good luck. The Nisky deal isn't awful by the way. I thought he'd get a bit more actually.

 

[usiel]

It's going to be so weird seeing Orpik in a Caps jersey. I've watched him closely in Pittsburgh. He isn't a good puck mover so he'll need a good PMD partner like Green or Niskanen. I don't remember him playing much with Niskanen in Pittsburgh though. I'm sure it happened at times with all of our injuries on D but it was never a regular thing for them to play together.

He isn't painfully slow or anything. He's still a surprisingly mobile guy at least in terms of straight ahead speed. Some have questioned if his lateral and backwards skating have declined a bit but I don't think mobility is a huge issue with him. He's a left side defender. He's always played the left with mostly one of Gonchar, Letang or Paul Martin on the right over his career. I can't ever remember him playing the right side himself. He's physical but it's sporadic. He doesn't bring that element every game but he has a size and speed combination that allows him to generate huge collisions when he wants to. Usually he kind of paces himself for the long season and he's usually been able to elevate his game up a bit more in the playoffs.

Decision making is where he struggles the most but you could say that for most Pens D-Men, which leads me to believe some of it was Bylsma's idiotic coaching/system. Maybe Trotz can keep things more simple for Brooks and limit those bad decisions.

Good luck. The Nisky deal isn't awful by the way. I thought he'd get a bit more actually.

Thanks for the thoughts here. I don't think any caps fans are drinking any koolaid when it comes to what they've seen playing against orpik. That said he still fill a valuable need. Also wonder how much a factor it came with orpik already signed and having seen the DC area/meeting Trotz factored in to that final decision. Caps did target Orpik first which they have said is part of their plan.

 

[OttawaRoughRiderFan*]

Non Caps fan coming in peace...

The Orpik pickup, and the cost, is horrible. I just don't understand it. He's an old man who is too slow in a game that keeps getting faster. Again, I don't get it.

Good luck with it, Caps fans, but I think it was a mistake. Peace.

 

[usiel]

Non Caps fan coming in peace...

The Orpik pickup, and the cost, is horrible. I just don't understand it. He's an old man who is too slow in a game that keeps getting faster. Again, I don't get it.

Good luck with it, Caps fans, but I think it was a mistake. Peace.

He's a much better Erksine replacement...next season and hopefully two.

 

[KevinM]

Abysmal.

The dude has already proven to be falling off and GMBM still feels compelled to give him absurd term and money. We went from the extremely conservative McPhee approach to the throw all of your money down the crapper approach. Just unreal.

 

[Acallabeth]

Well, Orpik is an improvement in he area that the team needed most for so long, and he isn't Erskine really, he's a declined top pairing defenseman, but by God this contract is abominable.
I just want to say that Orlov better develop into a real top 4 RD quickly. Having a highly mobile skilled 2-way defenseman insured by a veteran shutdown guy is what this team was trying to build for so long. If he plays on a top pairing though...

 

[ObsessedCreative*]

I honestly don't know what's worse for your franchise having Tod R. In it or that Orpik contract.

Yikes, not trying to be a jerk here only coming in peach to add my condolences, but not only is that insane money for him, the term is even worse. This guy was shot in Pittsburgh two years ago.

This won't end pretty. Sorry guys. See you on the ice in December!