SPORTS: Washington Capitals

2011-12

Collected a team-high 4 blocked shots on 2/22 at OTT.  Scored 1st goal of the season on 2/13 vs. SJ.  Returned to the lineup and skated 9:48 on 2/1 at FLA.  Tallied an assist on 11/5 at NYI.  Recorded an assist and +2 on 11/1.  Added an assist on 10/20 at PHI.  Skated a season-high 21:46 on 10/13 at PIT.  Tallied his 1st assist of the season on 10/10 vs. TB.  Ranked 7th on the team in blocked shots during the postseason.

Career

2010-11: Finished tied for eighth on the team in plus/minus at +6.  Logged a career- high 26:35 on 3/31 vs. CBJ.  His game-winning goal on 3/18 at NJ was the first GWG of his career and his first goal in 82 games.  Second on the team in blocked shots (138).  Skated the third-most short handed ice time per game on the Capitals (2:26).  Ranked fifth in even-strength ice time per game (17:15).  Second among Capitals defensemen in short handed ice time per game in the playoffs (2:52).  Led the team with 22 blocked shots in the postseason.

2009-10: Appeared in 73 games and recorded career highs in points (23) and assists (20).  Led the NHL and set a franchise record with a career-high +50.  The first defenseman with a +50 rating since Chris Pronger in his Hart Trophy-winning season (+52 in 1999-00).  Was +14 against ATL in six games.  First Capital to lead the NHL in plus/minus.  Averaged a career-high 19:51 TOI.  Led the team with 129 blocked shots.  Registered a career-high 32 PIM.  Recorded a career-best three points (1g-2a) at ATL (10/22). Was a season-high +5 in two contests this season, 1/9 at ATL and 4/5 at PIT.  Matched his career high with two three-game point streaks (10/22—10/27, 1g-4a and 1/7—1/12, 4a).  Skated a season-high 26:10 on 1/9 at ATL.  Tallied 14 points (2g-12a) on the road.  Averaged 2:38 of shorthanded TOI per game, fourth on the team.

2008-09: Played in 64 games and recorded 12 points (1g-11a).  Second among Caps defensemen and fourth on the team with a career-high +13.  Averaged a career high 19:45 TOI.  Seven of his 12 points (1g-6a) came in the third period; recorded seven of his 11 assists in the final 10 minutes of the game or OT.  His 21 PIM were the fewest for any Cap defenseman who played more than 30 games.  Was +9 against division opponents.  Recorded 93 blocked shots, ranking fifth on the team.  Averaged 3:18 of shorthanded ice time per game, the fourth highest on the team.  Team was 9-1-1 when he had a point.  Had three assists in the first six games of the season and had an assist in three straight games (11/6—11/10).  Was a +4 at CAR (11/12) and vs. OTT (2/1).  Suffered a broken finger 11/24 at MIN and missed 15 games.  Skated a season-high 26:34 on 2/11 at NYR.  Recorded his first career shorthanded goal at PIT (1/14).  Played only one playoff game due to injury.

2007-08: Appeared in 72 games for Washington, posting 18 points (5g-13a) and 28 PIM.  Ranked first among Caps defensemen and fourth on the team with a +12 rating.  Second among Caps defensemen with five goals.  Third among Caps defensemen averaging 18:05 of ice

time.  Ranked third on the team with 90 blocked shots.  Played one game in Hershey during a brief AHL stint early in the season.  Scored first NHL goal 10/29 at TOR.  Led the team in ice time 11/2 vs. PHI (22:03).  Registered first assist of the season 12/1 at FLA.  Posted season-high six points (4g-2a) in December.  Scored goals in three straight games from 12/8—12/12.  Skated in season-high 25:33 1/5 at MTL.  Recorded his first career multiple-point game with two assists vs. EDM (1/17).  Played his 100th NHL game 3/14 vs. ATL.  Limited to two playoff games due to injury.

2006-07: Played in 38 games with the Capitals in his first professional season.  Recorded three points, all assists.  Third among Caps defensemen with 18:12 of average ice time.  Ranked 12th among NHL rookie defensemen in ice time.  Tied for second on the team in plus/minus rating with +5.  Finished tied for eighth among NHL rookie defensemen in plus/minus rating.  Made his NHL debut vs. NJ (12/22).  Played 34 straight games from 1/18—4/3, with a +7 rating in that time.  Recorded his first career point with an assist at CAR (1/26). Had a career-high four PIM vs. FLA (1/20).  Posted a career high +4 vs. CAR (1/27).  Played 44 games with Hershey (AHL) with 12 points (2g-10a) and a +20 rating.  Had one assist in 19 playoff games.

Junior Career

Posted 107 points (22g-85a) in his four-year, 262-game WHL career, all with CGY.

2005-06: Played 68 games for the CGY Hitmen of the WHL and shared the lead among team defensemen with 40 points (7g-33a).  Tied for 13th among WHL defensemen in scoring.  Led the team with a +20 rating.  Scored four PPGs.  Played for Team WHL in the 2005 ADT Canada-Russia Challenge.  Shared the team lead in playoff scoring with 10 points (4g-6a) in 13 games.  Joined Hershey in the AHL playoffs at the conclusion of CGY’s season.  Played seven playoff games for the Bears in their run to the Calder Cup.  Posted four points (1g-3a), including his first pro goal in his first game, vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (5/7).

2004-05: Played in all 72 games for CGY and was the team’s second-highest scoring defenseman with 29 points (2g-27a).  Appeared in 12 playoff games, notching two goals, one assist and six PIM.

2003-04: Played all 72 games for CGY.  Recorded a career-best 11 goals, including four PPGs. Ranked sixth on the team with 35 points.  Posted a +28 rating, leading CGY defensemen and third-best on the team. 2002-03: Played 50 games as a WHL rookie.  Posted two goals and an assist.

Transactions

Selected by Washington in the first round, 27th overall, in 2004 Entry Draft.

Personal

Plays golf and video games in his spare time.  Favorite athlete is Tom Brady.  Favorite tourist attractions in Washington, D.C., are the monuments.