Caps Recall Goaltender Grubauer from AHL Hershey
Posted on February 27, 2013The Capitals have recalled goaltender Philipp Grubauer from
Hershey of the AHL. Grubauer has joined the Caps in Philadelphia and will be on
the ice at Wednesday’s morning skate at the Wells Fargo Center.
Washington netminder Michal Neuvirth is ill, and Grubauer
has been recalled to serve as Braden Holtby’s backup in Philly tonight. Holtby
is expected to start his eighth consecutive game tonight here against the
Flyers.
The 21-year-old Grubauer has a 6-4-1 record with one
shutout, a 2.10 GAA and a .928 save pct. in a dozen appearances with the Bears
this season, his first at the AHL level. Grubauer recorded his first AHL
shutout last Saturday with a 40-save effort against Adirondack at Giant Center.
A second-year pro, Grubauer started his pro career with South
Carolina of the ECHL last season. Because of the NHL lockout, he started this
season at the same level, playing for the Reading Royals, although he had
nothing left to prove at that level. Grubauer was 19-5-1 with Reading this
season.
In 69 career ECHL games, Grubauer compiled a 42-18-6 record
along with one shutout, a 2.25 GAA and a .916 save pct.
A native of Germany, Grubauer was Washington’s fourth-round
choice (110th overall) in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. Grubauer has a
chance to be the second German goaltender to play for the Capitals, following
Olie Kolzig. Kolzig was born in South Africa, but retained German citizenship
and represented Germany in several international tournaments including the
Olympics.
If Grubauer gets into a game with Washington, he would
become the 24th German-born player in NHL history and the fourth
goaltender, following Michel Larocque, Thomas Greiss and Timo Pielmeier.
Washington also drafted another German-born goaltender in
the late Robert Mueller. Mueller was the Capitals’ ninth-round selection (275th
overall) in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft.
