Philipp Grubauer

Philipp Grubauer (born on November 25, 1991) is a German professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Washington Capitals in the National Hockey League (NHL).

He was drafted by the Capitals in the fourth round (112th overall) of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.

Early Playing Career
Philipp began his career in Germany, playing for the junior (U18) team of his hometown Starbulls Rosenheim beginning in 2006 at the age of 15. The following season, 2007–08, he played 23 games for the Starbulls U18 team, as well as five games with the senior club.

Following the 2007–08 season, Philipp moved to North America to play with the Belleville Bulls of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) after being selected 25th overall in the 2008 CHL Import Draft. He served as the Bulls' back-up goaltender in the 2008–09, but became the team's starter in 2009–10.

During that season, Philipp played in 31 games for the Bulls before being traded in January 2010 to the Windsor Spitfires in a seven-player deal. The Spitfires won the Memorial Cup for the second consecutive year that May and he led all goaltenders in the tournament with a .930 save percentage and a 2.14 goals against average (GAA).

On June 26, 2010, Philipp was selected in the fourth round (112th overall) by the Washington Capitals in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.

Just a few days after the NHL Draft, Philipp (along with Windsor's first-round 2010 CHL Import Draft pick) was traded to the Kingston Frontenacs in exchange for Nick Czinder, A.J. Jarosz, Kingston's first-round pick in the 2010 CHL Import Draft and Kingston's second- and seventh-round (conditional) picks in the 2011 OHL Priority Draft.

Philipp signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Capitals on October 4, 2010, as his season with the Frontenacs began. He played in 38 games for the Frontenacs before falling ill with mononucleosis in February.

Philipp returned to Germany to recuperate and missed the rest of the season, his final age-eligible season in the OHL.

Professional Playing Career
Philipp returned to the ice for the first time since his bout with mononucleosis at the Washington Capitals' 2011–12 season development camp. He reported that he had lost 20 pounds while ill.

Following training camp in September, he was eventually assigned to the South Carolina Stingrays of the ECHL, a minor league affiliate of the Capitals.

On October 12, 2011, Philipp was recalled to the American Hockey League (AHL)'s Hershey Bears, but he did not play any games and returned to the Stingrays on October 23rd.

On November 8, 2011, the ECHL announced that Philipp had been named the Reebok Hockey ECHL Goaltender of the Week for the week of October 31st to November 6th. He was 3–0–0 with one shutout, a 1.00 GAA and a .960 save percentage during that span.He was named the ECHL's Goaltender of the Month for November.

In eight games with the Stingrays in November, Philipp went 6–1–1 with one shutout, a 1.73 GAA and a .935 save percentage. He was named ECHL Rookie of the Month in January and at the conclusion of the season and was named to the ECHL All-Rookie Team for 2011–12.

In the 2012–13 season, the Washington Capitals' ECHL affiliation became the Reading Royals and Philipp split the season between Reading and Hershey, moving up to Hershey when the NHL ended their labour lockout and when goaltender Braden Holtby was promoted to Washington full-time for the 2012–13 season.

On February 27, 2013, he made his NHL debut in relief of Holtby in a 4–1 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers, stopping all 14 shots faced in just over 25 minutes of play.

Philipp then made his first NHL start on March 9, 2013, in a 5–2 loss to the New York Islanders. He faced 45 shots in the game, stopping 40.

International Play
Philipp has appeared in several international competitions, representing Germany.

He participated in the 2008 World U-17 Hockey Challenge where Germany placed ninth in the tournament; Grubauer was named to the tournament's All-Star team after posting a .909 save percentage and 3.49 GAA.

Three months following the 2008 U-17 Hockey Challenge, Philipp (sharing goaltending duties with Felix Brückmann) played in the 2008 IIHF World U18 Championships, held in Kazan, Russia.

Germany placed fifth in the tournament and he was selected as Germany's Player of the Game in Germany's 9–2 loss to Canada on the first day of round robin play.

At the age of 17, Philipp participated in the 2009 World Junior Championships in Ottawa, Ontario. However, Germany won just one game in the tournament and following a ninth-place finish, were relegated to Division I for the 2010 World Junior Championships.

Philipp gained attention while competing for Germany in Division I of the 2010 World Junior Championships in Megève and Saint-Gervais-les-Bains, France.

Germany placed first in their group, winning all five of their games in order to put them back in the Top Division for the 2011 World Junior Championships. Germany's success was largely due to the play of Philipp, who posted a 0.64 GAA and a .974 save percentage in five games.

Philipp then participated in the 2011 World Junior Championships in Buffalo and Lewiston, New York, but Germany performed similarly to the 2009 World Junior Championships and finished tenth, sending them back to Division I for 2012. He recorded losses for all four games he started in the tournament.