Longtime Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Brooks Orpik has retired.
The 38-year-old made the announcement Tuesday morning.
A first-round pick in the 2000 draft, Orpik spent the first 12 years of a 17-year pro career in the Penguins organization. He is eighth on the team’s all-time games played list with 703, second-most among defensemen.
He won the Stanley Cup twice, with the Penguins in 2009 and with the Washington Capitals in 2018.
His most memorable moment in a Penguins uniform might have come in the 2008 Stanley Cup Final, however, when he leveled four Detroit Red Wings players with physical hits on the same shift.
“I’ve been extremely lucky to have the best job in the world for many years, but my body is telling me it is time to move on to something new,” Orpik said in a press release. “I’m excited for more family time and to experience a lot of the things that being a professional athlete forces you to miss out on. Thank you to the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins for giving me the opportunity to play against the best athletes in the world. I’ll be forever grateful for the memories and relationships that hockey has given me.”
Brooks Orpik has announced his retirement today from the @NHL after 15 seasons. The two-time Stanley Cup Champion skated in 1,035 regular-season games.
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) June 25, 2019
Congratulations on a terrific career, Brooksie. And thank you for everything! #ALLCAPS
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