Brooks Orpik’s last 365 days have took drastic turns, starting when he was shipped with Philipp Grubauer to the Colorado Avalanche for a second round pick. In essence, the Washington Capitals needed cap space and Orpik’s $5.25 million contact was too much for a team still left with John Carlson to sign.
Orpik was immediately waived by the Avalanche and spend a few weeks in limbo over whether or not he’d be picked up. The Capitals stepped up, which was legal as the Avalanche were the team that waived him, and signed him to a one-year deal to “come back” to Washington.