Philipp Grubauer

Philipp Grubauer (born 25 November 1991) is a German professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Washington Capitals in the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted by the Capitals in the fourth round, 112th overall, of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. Grubauer has played with the German national team in several international tournaments, including the 2008 U18 World Championships and the 2009 World Junior Championships. Grubauer won the Memorial Cup with the Ontario Hockey League (OHL)'s Windsor Spitfires in 2010.

On 17 April 2015, Grubauer became the first German-born goaltender to start and win a Stanley Cup playoff game.

Early career

Grubauer began his career in Germany, playing for the junior (U18) team of his hometown Starbulls Rosenheim beginning in 2006 at the age of 15. The following season, 2007–08, Grubauer played 23 games for the Starbulls U18 team, as well as five games with the senior club. Following the 2007–08 season, Grubauer moved to North America to play with the Belleville Bulls of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) after being selected 25th overall in the 2008 CHL Import Draft.

Grubauer with the Windsor Spitfires.

Grubauer served as the Bulls' back-up goaltender in the 2008–09, but became the team's starter in 2009–10. That season, he played in 31 games for the Bulls before being traded in January 2010 to the Windsor Spitfires in a seven-player deal. The Spitfires won the Memorial Cup for the second consecutive year that May, and Grubauer led all goaltenders in the tournament with a .930 save percentage and a 2.14 goals against average (GAA).

On 26 June 2010, Grubauer was selected in the fourth round, 112th overall, by the Washington Capitals in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.

Just a few days after the NHL Draft, Grubauer, along with Windsor's first-round 2010 CHL Import Draft pick, was traded to the Kingston Frontenacs in exchange for Nick Czinder, A. J. Jarosz, Kingston's first-round pick in the 2010 CHL Import Draft and Kingston's second- and seventh-round (conditional) picks in the 2011 OHL Priority Draft.

Grubauer signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Capitals on 4 October 2010, as his season with the Frontenacs began.

Grubauer played 38 games for the Frontenacs before falling ill with mononucleosis in February. He returned to Germany to recuperate and missed the rest of the season, his final age-eligible season in the OHL.

Professional

Grubauer returned to the ice for the first time since his bout with mononucleosis at the Washington Capitals' 2011–12 season development camp. He reported that he had lost 20 pounds while ill. Following training camp in September, Grubauer was eventually assigned to the South Carolina Stingrays of the ECHL, a minor league affiliate of the Capitals.

Grubauer was recalled to the American Hockey League (AHL)'s Hershey Bears on 12 October 2011, but did not play any games and returned to the Stingrays on 23 October.

On 8 November 2011, the ECHL announced that Grubauer had been named the Reebok Hockey ECHL Goaltender of the Week for the week of 31 October to 6 November. Grubauer was 3–0–0 with one shutout, a 1.00 GAA and a .960 save percentage during that span.

Grubauer was named the ECHL's Goaltender of the Month for November. In eight games with the Stingrays in November, he went 6–1–1 with one shutout, a 1.73 GAA and a .935 save percentage.

Grubauer was named ECHL Rookie of the Month in January and at the conclusion of the season, was named to the ECHL All-Rookie Team for 2011–12.

In the 2012–13 season, the Washington Capitals' ECHL affiliation became the Reading Royals, and Grubauer split the season between Reading and Hershey, moving up to Hershey when the NHL ended their labour lockout and when goaltender Braden Holtby was promoted to Washington full-time for the 2012–13 season. Grubauer made his NHL debut in relief of Braden Holtby in a 4–1 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on 27 February 2013, stopping all 14 shots faced in just over 25 minutes of play.

Grubauer then made his first NHL start on 9 March 2013, in a 5–2 loss to the New York Islanders. He faced 45 shots in the game, stopping 40.

Grubauer has appeared in several international competitions, representing Germany. He participated in the 2008 World U-17 Hockey Challenge, where Germany placed ninth in the tournament; Grubauer was named to the tournament's All-Star team after posting a .909 save percentage and 3.49 GAA.

Three months following the 2008 U-17 Hockey Challenge, Grubauer, sharing goaltending duties with Felix Brückmann, played in the 2008 IIHF World U18 Championships, held in Kazan, Russia. Germany placed fifth in the tournament, and Grubauer was selected as Germany's Player of the Game in Germany's 9–2 loss to Canada on the first day of round robin play.

At the age of 17, Grubauer participated in the 2009 World Junior Championships in Ottawa, Ontario. However, Germany won just one game in the tournament, and following a ninth-place finish, were relegated to Division I for the 2010 World Junior Championships.

Grubauer gained attention while competing for Germany in Division I of the 2010 World Junior Championships in Megève and Saint-Gervais-les-Bains, France. Germany placed first in their group, winning all five of their games in order to put them back in the Top Division for the 2011 World Junior Championships. Germany's success was largely due to the play of Grubauer, who posted a 0.64 GAA and a .974 save percentage in five games.

Grubauer then participated in the 2011 World Junior Championships in Buffalo and Lewiston, New York, but Germany performed similarly to the 2009 World Junior Championships and finished tenth, sending them back to Division I for 2012. Grubauer recorded losses for all four games he started in the tournament.

Regular season and playoffs

International