Philipp Grubauer Bio
Philipp Grubauer is a German professional ice hockey goaltender for the Seattle Kraken of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Washington Capitals selected him in the fourth round, 112th overall, of the 2010 NHL entry draft. Grubauer has achieved significant milestones throughout his career, including being the first German-born goaltender to start and win a Stanley Cup playoff game in April 2015, and he was also part of the Capitals team that won the Stanley Cup in 2018. Grubauer has represented Germany in multiple international competitions and has made a name for himself as a reliable goaltender in the league.
Grubauer spent two seasons with the Colorado Avalanche and established himself as one of the most consistent goaltenders in the league during his time there. His 2020-21 campaign earned him a Vezina Trophy nomination as one of the NHL’s best goaltenders. Grubauer has also played an important role in the growth of hockey in Germany through his international career.
Early Life and Background
Philipp Grubauer was born on 25 November 1991 in Rosenheim, Germany. He began his hockey career at age 13 in 2004, playing for his hometown junior team, the Starbulls Rosenheim. The team competed in the Oberliga, the third tier of German ice hockey. Grubauer made his senior club debut with the Starbulls on 17 February 2008 at age 16, recording a 2–0 shutout victory in his first appearance.
Grubauer quickly became a key player for Rosenheim’s senior squad. During a relegation round later that same season, the team’s primary goaltender struggled and the coach turned to Grubauer. He stepped in and played six more games, helping the Starbulls avoid relegation from the league. Following the 2007–08 season, Grubauer moved to North America to pursue greater opportunities at age 16.
Path to Professional Hockey
Grubauer relocated to North America to play with the Belleville Bulls of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) after being selected 25th overall in the 2008 Canadian Hockey League (CHL) Import Draft. With the Bulls, he served as the backup goaltender during the 2008–09 season and appeared in 17 games. He became the team’s starter in 2009–10 and appeared in 31 games before the club traded him to the Windsor Spitfires in January 2010.
Grubauer helped the Windsor Spitfires capture the Memorial Cup in May 2010, the second straight championship for the franchise. He led all goaltenders in the tournament with a .930 save percentage and a 2.14 goals against average. Just days after winning the Memorial Cup, the Washington Capitals selected him in the fourth round, 112th overall, of the 2010 NHL entry draft. He signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Capitals in October 2010.
Philipp Grubauer Career
Early Career (2011–2013)
Grubauer began his professional career in North America during the 2011–12 season. The Capitals assigned him to the South Carolina Stingrays of the ECHL, their development affiliate. Grubauer excelled at the ECHL level, earning Goaltender of the Week honors in November 2011 and Goaltender of the Month the same month. The league named him to the ECHL All-Rookie Team at the conclusion of the season.
Grubauer advanced to the American Hockey League’s Hershey Bears during the 2012–13 season, splitting his time between Hershey and the Reading Royals in the ECHL. He made his NHL debut on 27 February 2013, entering the game in relief of Braden Holtby and stopping all 14 shots he faced in over 25 minutes of play against the Philadelphia Flyers. Twelve days later, Grubauer made his first NHL start against the New York Islanders.
Washington Capitals Era (2013–2018)
Grubauer played most of the 2013–14 season with Hershey behind Holtby and Michal Neuvirth in Washington’s goaltending depth chart. He earned a longer look with the Capitals when Neuvirth suffered a leg injury before warmups on 29 November 2013. Grubauer appeared in 17 games that season, posting a 6–5–5 record with a .925 save percentage and a 2.38 goals against average.
Grubauer played most of the 2014–15 season with Hershey before earning another opportunity in April 2015 after Holtby fell ill. On 17 April 2015, Grubauer started a Stanley Cup playoff game against the New York Islanders and won 4–3, making him the first German-born goaltender to start and win a Stanley Cup playoff game. He continued to develop as a reliable backup through the 2015–16 and 2016–17 seasons, playing 22 games and then 21 games respectively with steadily improving statistics.
Grubauer entered the 2017–18 season on a one-year contract and delivered his best performance to date with Washington, recording a career-high 15 wins in 28 starts. He became the Capitals’ starter to begin the 2018 Stanley Cup playoffs after a strong 7–3–0 record over the final 10 games of the regular season. Braden Holtby took over goaltending duties after Game 2, and the Capitals ultimately defeated the Vegas Golden Knights to win the franchise’s first Stanley Cup.
Colorado Avalanche Era (2018–2021)
The Capitals traded Grubauer and Brooks Orpik to the Colorado Avalanche on 22 June 2018 in exchange for a second-round draft pick. The Avalanche re-signed Grubauer the following day to a three-year, $10 million contract extension. He appeared in 43 games during the 2018–19 season, posting an 18–9–5 record with a .917 save percentage in the regular season.
Grubauer became Colorado’s starting goaltender during the 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs after a strong second half of the 2018–19 regular season. He posted a 7–5 record with a 2.30 goals against average and a .925 save percentage in the playoffs. Grubauer led the Avalanche to a first-round upset over the first-seeded Calgary Flames. The team reached the second round before losing to the San Jose Sharks in seven games.
Grubauer’s workload increased substantially during the 2020–21 season when veteran backup Pavel Francouz missed the entire year with an injury. Grubauer started 39 regular season games and finished with a 30–9–1 record, a 1.95 goals against average, a .922 save percentage, and seven shutouts. His win total ranked second across the NHL, his goals against average ranked second, and he tied for the league lead in shutouts. Grubauer earned his first Vezina Trophy nomination as one of the NHL’s best goaltenders at the conclusion of that season.
Seattle Kraken Era (2021–Present)
Grubauer became a free agent after the 2020–21 season and signed a six-year, $35.4 million contract with the expansion Seattle Kraken on 28 July 2021. He recorded the first shutout in Kraken franchise history on 2 February 2022, a 3–0 victory over the New York Islanders. Grubauer experienced a challenging inaugural season with the club, finishing with a 3.16 goals against average and a .889 save percentage.
Grubauer improved his statistics to a 2.85 goals against average and a .895 save percentage during the 2022–23 season and appeared in 39 starts. He was in net when the Kraken clinched their first-ever playoff berth on 6 April 2023 with a 4–2 victory over the Arizona Coyotes. Grubauer appeared in all 14 of the Kraken’s playoff games during their 2023 Stanley Cup playoff run and helped the team upset his former club, the Colorado Avalanche, in the first round.
Grubauer remained the Kraken’s primary starter at the start of the 2023–24 season before a lower-body injury sidelined him on 9 December 2023. He returned to the lineup in late January and finished the season with a 2.85 goals against average and a .899 save percentage. He remains the Kraken’s primary starter for the 2024–25 season.
Driving Style and Strengths
Grubauer catches left and uses his 6-foot-2 frame to effectively cover the net. His quick reflexes and strong positioning allow him to perform consistently across different playing styles and game situations. He has developed a reputation for intelligent positioning and reliable puck handling skills, and his partnership with his coaching staff has remained an important factor in his development throughout his NHL career.
Notable Events and Milestones
Grubauer’s first NHL playoff win on 17 April 2015 made him the first German-born goaltender to start and win a Stanley Cup playoff game. He won the Stanley Cup with the Washington Capitals in 2018 and became the first Seattle Kraken goaltender to record a shutout on 2 February 2022. During the 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs, Grubauer became only the tenth goaltender in NHL history to record 10 or more consecutive postseason victories.
Philipp Grubauer Career Wins
Grubauer has recorded regular season and playoff wins across three NHL franchises during his career. His most productive single season came in 2020–21 with the Colorado Avalanche, when he won 30 games. He has also contributed to deep playoff runs with the Capitals, Avalanche, and Kraken organizations.
NHL Highlights
Grubauer made his first NHL win on 9 March 2013 in his first NHL start against the New York Islanders, stopping 40 of 45 shots in a 5–2 loss. He recorded his first NHL playoff win on 17 April 2015 against the New York Islanders as a member of the Capitals. He won the Stanley Cup as a member of the Capitals in 2018, defeating the Vegas Golden Knights in five games.
Grubauer recorded his 200th career NHL win on 6 March 2023 as a member of the Kraken. His most recent NHL playoff wins came during the Kraken’s 2023 Stanley Cup playoff run, when he appeared in all 14 of Seattle’s playoff games and led the team to a first-round upset over his former club, the Colorado Avalanche.
Philipp Grubauer Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Grubauer was born and raised in Rosenheim, Germany, where he began his hockey career with the local Starbulls Rosenheim junior program. There is no publicly available information confirming a family background in hockey at the professional level. No other publicly documented family background or notable family connections related to professional hockey appear in the available records.
Personal Life
There is no publicly available information about Grubauer’s personal life, including his marital status or children. He maintains an active presence on social media through his Instagram account.
2025 Season Performance
Grubauer began the 2024–25 season as the Kraken’s primary starting goaltender after the team entered the season without significant competition for the position. He started the season as the expected number one goaltender, but the Kraken placed him on waivers on 29 January 2025. Grubauer appeared in seven games for the Coachella Valley Firebirds, the Kraken’s AHL affiliate, where he maintained a 5–2–0 record.
The Kraken recalled Grubauer to the NHL on 2 March 2025 after his assignment in the AHL. He returned to the lineup and resumed goaltending duties for Seattle. No other verified season statistics or results are available for the 2024–25 campaign as of the current date.