Over the summer the Washington Capitals and Colorado Avalanche played hot potato with Brooks Orpik. After going to the Avs in a deal that included goaltender Philipp Grubauer, Orpik was bought out by the Avs and then re-signed by the Caps.
The morning before last Thursday’s match-up against the Avs, NHL.com reporter Tom Gulitti jokingly asked Orpik “if he had any emotions facing his former team.” But unlike Philipp Grubauer’s return home and Jay Beagle’s tearful reunion, Orpik was not overwhelmed by feelings for his former team.
But while he may have only been an Av for three days, Batya left a lasting impression on at least one fan. He’d customized a #44 Orpik Avalanche jersey and held up a sign before the game which read “Avs Legend Brooks Orpik.”
Here you go. Sign says “Avs legend Brooks Orpik” pic.twitter.com/2e2UIyt68p
— Chuck Diesel (@badassidtrip) February 10, 2019
Apparently, someone even passed along a photo of the creative fan’s tribute to Orpik, who had seen him in the stands.
Asked Brooks Orpik (jokingly) this morning if he had any emotions facing his former team (Colorado) on Thursday. He said he saw someone in stands wearing an Orpik Avalanche jersey.
(I think he said he got a photo of it from someone)
— Tom Gulitti (@TomGulittiNHL) February 10, 2019
Between the custom Avs jersey and Dmitrij Jaskin’s “Batya 1000” snapback Orpik could start up a pretty decent clothing line.
Full RMNB Coverage of Caps vs Avalanche
Headline photo: @badassidtrip
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