Capitals trade veteran Orpik in salary move

Sabres select Swedish D with first pick

The Washington Capitals traded veteran defenseman Brooks Orpik and goaltender Philipp Grubauer Friday to the Colorado Avalanche for the 47th pick in the NHL draft, a move that clears salary-cap space for the Stanley Cup champions to re-sign pending free agents.

Shedding Orpik’s $5.5 million salary in the final year of his contract and dealing Grubauer before he earned more as a restricted free agent gives them more than $20 million in cap space. It’s needed because defensemen John Carlson and Michal Kempny can become unrestricted free agents July 1 and playoff hero Devante Smith-Pelly and top-line winger Tom Wilson will get raises as RFAs.

Carlson, who led all defenseman in scoring in the regular season and playoffs, is expected to cost $8 millionplus a season on a long-term deal. The Capitals would have struggled to fit that under the $79.5 million ceiling without a move like this.

“This was a difficult move, but the one we felt we needed to make in order to give some flexibility moving forward,” general manager Brian MacLellan said. “Philipp has been a consummate professional and a great teammate and we wish him all the best. Brooks was a great leader and a tremendous role model.”

Orpik, 37, was a respected alternate captain who got the Cup third after Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom when Washington won its first title in franchise history. The rugged defenseman played almost 20 minutes a game in four seasons with the Capitals.

MacLellan said that Grubauer, 26, a backup goalie, had earned the opportunity to be a starting goaltender somewhere.

Sabres

Buffalo selected defenseman Rasmus Dahlin, 18, with the first overall pick in the NHL draft in Dallas, giving them a dynamic player who should spark their rebuilding process. Dahlin is the second Swedish player to be taken No. 1 and the first since Mats Sundin in 1989. The smooth-skating playmaker has been considered the consensus first pick for more than a year. After putting on a Sabres jersey Friday night, Dahlin will jump to the NHL right away and should help the club’s league-worst offense that contributed to its last-place finish. The Sabres also announced that goalie Robin Lehner will become an unrestricted free agent after Buffalo general manager Jason Botterill said the team will not extend a qualifying offer to retain the rights of their third-year starter.

Red Wings

Detroit hired former Penguins and Sabres coach Dan Bylsma as an assistant coach. Bylsma, 47, a Grand Haven, Mich., native, worked as an assistant alongside Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill at this year’s world championship in Denmark, helping the United States to a bronze medal. Bylsma was the Penguins coach when they won the Stanley Cup in 2009 by winning Game 7 of the final at Detroit. “I’ve lived two lives in this aspect,” Bylsma said. “The first 20 years of my life I was a Detroit Red Wings fan. For the next half of my life, I may not have been, but I’ve always had in the back of my mind that coming back home and working for the Red Wings and being a part of the Red Wing organization was something I wanted to do.”

Stars

Dallas signed defenseman Stephen Johns to a $7 million, three-year contract extension. Johns, 26, had a careerbest 15 points (eight goals, seven assists) in 75 games last season, his third in Dallas. He was the prospect acquired in a deal that brought Patrick Sharp from Chicago in 2015. The6-foot-4 native of Pennsylvania led the Stars with 155 blocked shots and 201 hits. The Stars also hired veteran assistant Rick Bowness to serve on rookie coach Jim Montgomery’s staff.

Sharks

San Jose placed defenseman Paul Martin on unconditional waivers with the intention to buy out the remaining season of the 14year veteran’s contract.

Elsewhere

Former NHL players Daniel Carcillo and Nick Boynton are suing the league, alleging it failed to warn players about the longterm risk of brain damage from fighting. The lawsuit filed Thursday in U.S. District Court in Minnesota said Boynton and Carcillo continued to play hockey despite head injuries. They now both suffer from longterm, degenerative brain damage. Carcillo, a forward whose nickname was “Car Bomb” for his penchant for delivering hard hits, skated for five NHL teams over nine seasons.