Philipp Grubauer

Growing up in Rosenheim, Philipp Grubauer moved from his hometown program to North America as a teenager and learned his craft in the Ontario Hockey League. After starting as a backup in Belleville, he earned a starting role and was traded to Windsor, where he played a central part in that club’s Memorial Cup run in 2010 and finished the tournament among the top goaltenders.

Those junior achievements led to an NHL opportunity: Washington selected him in the fourth round, 112th overall, of the 2010 draft. He signed an entry-level deal with the Capitals later that year and spent his early professional seasons developing between the ECHL and AHL while carving out occasional NHL appearances before becoming a more regular presence in Washington’s crease.

Grubauer reached several milestones with the Capitals, including becoming the first German-born goalie to start and win an NHL playoff game in 2015, and he was part of Washington’s roster when the franchise captured the Stanley Cup in 2018. Traded to Colorado in 2018, he earned the starting job, signed a multi-year extension and posted some of the best numbers of his career there, including a season with a league-leading total of shutouts and recognition as a Vezina Trophy finalist.

As a free agent in 2021, Grubauer signed a long-term contract with the Seattle Kraken and recorded the first shutout in franchise history in February 2022. He has been a key figure in the club’s early years, including the team’s inaugural playoff appearance. Internationally, Grubauer has worn the German jersey at multiple junior and senior world tournaments and helped his country qualify for the 2018 Olympic Games.

On the ice, Grubauer relies on positional awareness and steady lateral movement; he reads shooters to make efficient saves rather than relying on spectacular flair. That approach has allowed him to transition between backup duties and full-time starter roles over a career that spans several NHL teams.