Three more Capitals participating in 2014 IIHF World Champioship
Already we know that a total of six Washington Capitals players are participating in the 2014 IIHF tournament. For the stories about those six Capitals go here and here. Now the total number is up to nine as Mikhail Grabovski, Philipp Grubauer and David Leggio will be in the tournament as well.
I think it is good for Grubauer to compete in a world tournament because he is a young goalie and will see top competition. Grubauer will be on Germanies team which has had good hockey teams in the past. Grabovski will represent Belarus and Leggio will play for the United States.
Here is the Capitals press release.
Grabovski, Grubauer and Leggio to participate in 2014 IIHF World Championship
Posted on May 06, 2014 by Caps PR
ARLINGTON, Va. – Mikhail Grabovski (Belarus), Philipp Grubauer (Germany) and David Leggio (United States) will represent their respective countries at the 2014 IIHF World Championship in Minsk, Belarus. The World Championship begins on May 9 and concludes on May 25.
Grabovski, 30, will make his seventh World Championship appearance. Grabovski has registered 28 points (12 goals, 16 assists) in 37 career games at the tournament and served as captain for Belarus at the 2011 World Championship. The 5’11”, 183-pound center has represented Belarus in six World Championships (2005, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012) and two World Junior Championships (2002, 2003). Grabovski recorded 35 points (13 goals, 22 assists) in 58 games this season with the Capitals and registered four points (three goals, one assist) on Oct. 1 at Chicago, becoming the first player in franchise history to earn a hat trick in the Capitals’ season opener. Washington signed Grabovski as a free agent on August 23, 2013.
Grubauer, 22, will represent Germany at the World Championship for the first time. The Rosenheim, Germany, native represented Germany at two World Junior Championships (2009, 2011) and one World U18 Championships (2008). Grubauer appeared in 17 games with the Capitals this season, posting a 6-5-5 record with a 2.38 goals-against average and a .925 save percentage. The 6’1”, 190-pound goaltender earned his first NHL win on Dec. 8 against the New York Rangers, becoming the second German-born goaltender in NHL history to record a victory (Thomas Greiss).
Grubauer played in 28 games with the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League (AHL) this season, posting a 13-13-2 record with three shutouts, a 2.60 goals-against average and a .916 save percentage. He finished the 2013-14 season ranked 13th among AHL goaltenders in save percentage and tied for 13th in shutouts. Grubabuer has posted a 28-22-4 record with five shutouts, a 2.43 goals-against average and a .917 save percentage in 56 career AHL games.
Leggio, 29, will represent the United States at the World Championship for the second time. The Williamsville, N.Y., native previously represented Team USA at the 2010 IIHF Men’s World Championship in Cologne, Gelsenkirchen and Mannheim, Germany. Leggio appeared in 45 games for the Hershey Bears (AHL) this season, posting a 23-18-3 record with two shutouts, a 2.63 goals-against average and a .913 save percentage.
