With their new general manager in charge, the Washington Capitals opened free agency Tuesday by signing defenseman Brooks Orpik to a $27.5 million, five-year contract, and goaltender Justin Peters to a $1.9 million, two-year deal.
The team also announced it had re-signed center Michael Latta to a $1.15 million contract.
The 33-year-old Orpik has played his entire NHL career with the Pittsburgh Penguins, who drafted him in the first round in 2000. He is the sort of rugged defenseman the Capitals lacked in recent seasons, when captain Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom led a high-flying offense.
Last season, the Capitals missed the playoffs for the first time in seven years, leading ownership to make changes. George McPhee’s contract was not renewed after he spent 17 seasons as the Capitals’ GM, while Adam Oates was fired with a year left on his three-season deal.
Brian MacLellan was promoted from assistant general manager to replace McPhee, while Barry Trotz was hired as the new coach.
The 6-foot-2, 219-pound Orpik has 13 goals, 119 assists and 734 penalty minutes in 703 career games. His a two-time U.S. Olympian and was an alternate captain for the Penguins since 2008.
”We feel Brooks’ leadership and experience will greatly enhance our defense for years to come,” MacLellan said. ”Brooks plays tough minutes against the opposition’s best players.”
The 27-year-old Peters went 7-9-4 with a 2.50 goals-against average and a .919 save percentage for the Carolina Hurricanes last season. He also played in six games for Charlotte of the AHL.
Peters made his NHL debut in February 2010, six years after being drafted in the second round by the Hurricanes.
For his career, Peters is 22-31-8 with a 3.05 goals-against average and .904 save percentage.
In the Capitals’ announcement of the deal, MacLellan is quoted as saying the team believes Peters ”is just entering his prime and has a tremendous upside.”
Latta, 23, had one goal, three assists and 12 penalty minutes in 17 games for the Capitals last season, when he made his NHL debut.
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