Brooks Laich Evan Brooks Laich ( born June 23 , 1983 ) is a Canadian ice hockey player with the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League . Laich was originally drafted by the Ottawa Senators in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft , and was later traded to the Capitals as part of the package for Peter Bondra . Before playing professionally , Laich spent time in the Western Hockey League playing with the Moose Jaw Warriors and Seattle Thunderbirds . He has represented Canada internationally , capturing a silver medal at the 2003 World Junior Championships , and playing for Canada again at the 2010 World Hockey Championships . Laich is one of the team ' s leaders , and plays in all situations for the Capitals . Hockey career . Minor . Laich started playing minor hockey in his hometown of Wawota , Saskatchewan . During the 1999 – 2000 season , was the top scorer and most valuable player for the midget AAA Tisdale Trojans . He was the runner up for league MVP . Junior . Laich started his junior hockey career with the Moose Jaw Warriors of the Western Hockey League ( WHL ) during the 2000 – 01 season . He played in 71 games with the Warriors , scoring nine goals and adding 21 assists . Laich was a dedicated student in Moose Jaw , being awarded the club ' s Scholastic Player of the Year for the 2000 – 01 season . After the season , he was drafted by the Ottawa Senators in the sixth round ( 193rd overall ) of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft . He started the 2001 – 02 season with the Warriors , but was traded to the Seattle Thunderbirds along with Tomas Mojzis for Craig Olynick and Stas Avksentiev . The deal was unpopular with Warriors fans , as Olynick left the club and Avksentiev never reported . Laich spent the rest of his junior career with the Thunderbirds . He started to develop more of an offensive game , finishing off the 2001 – 02 season with 58 points in the 47 games he played in Seattle . Laich has said that getting traded to Seattle was a good move for him , with coach Dean Chynoweth providing ample opportunities for him to display his skills . He was named the team ' s Most Dedicated Player after the 2001 – 02 season . His offensive game flourished further in his first full season with the Thunderbirds ( 2002 – 03 ) , as he finished the season with 41 goals and 53 assists , leading the team . These stats placed him sixth overall in the WHL points race . He was named the WHL ' s Western Conference MVP . He was also named to the WHL ' s Western Conference First All - Star Team , and the Canadian Hockey League ' s Third All - Star Team . Professional . Laich ' s first professional experience was brief , when he attended the Ottawa Senators training camp before the 2002 – 03 season . He played his first professional game in the American Hockey League ( AHL ) for the Binghamton Senators in 2003 . He made his National Hockey League ( NHL ) debut with Ottawa Senators on February 3 , 2003 against the New Jersey Devils . Later in the season , Laich was traded to the Washington Capitals along with a second round draft pick for Peter Bondra , a deal which ended Bondra ' s 14 year career with the Capitals . After the trade , he reported to the Capitals AHL affiliate , the Portland Pirates , and made his debut with the Capitals on March 12 , 2003 against the Chicago Blackhawks . He finished the season playing with the Pirates , appearing in six playoff games . The NHL lockout saw Laich spend the entire 2004 – 05 season with the Pirates , playing in 68 games , finishing eighth on the team in scoring with 16 goals and 10 assists . During the 2005 – 06 season , Laich played in 104 regular season and playoff games between the Capitals and their new AHL affiliate Hershey Bears , this tied him for the most games played in the organization with Boyd Gordon . After training camp , he started the season in the AHL , but was optimistic about his chances to play in the NHL , saying " You ' ve just got to work hard . There ' s spots up there , guys could go down with an injury , you want to be the first guy called up . " He spent most of the season at the NHL level , playing in 73 games and recording 21 points . After the Capitals season was over , Laich rejoined the Bears for their playoff run and scored 8 goals in 21 games while helping the team capture the Calder Cup . Laich played the entire 2006 – 07 season with the Capitals , scoring eight goals and adding ten assists . After the season , Laich and the Capitals went to salary arbitration , and he was awarded a one year contract worth $ 725 , 000 . Laich played in all 82 games for the Capitals during the 2007 – 08 season , and set career highs in goals , assists and points . His 21 goals ranked third overall on the team . He led the Capitals with two short handed goal s , and played in his 200th career regular season game . After a two goal game against the Atlanta Thrashers , Laich summed up his philosophy towards scoring , " If you want money , go to the bank . If you want bread , go to the bakery . If you want goals , go to the net . " During the playoffs , Laich had a five game point streak in the Eastern Conference Quarter Finals against the Philadelphia Flyers . This tied him for the longest point streak during the first round of the playoffs . As a restricted free agent after the season , Laich signed a three year deal with the team on July 9 , 2008 . The 2008 – 09 season saw Laich play in all 82 games for the Capitals again , and set new career highs in goals , assists and points . He scored 23 goals and added 30 assists , breaking the 50 - point plateau for the first time in his career . During the Capitals playoff run , Laich played in 14 games and added seven points . He assisted on the overtime winning goal in game six of the Eastern Conference Semi - Final against the eventual Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins . Laich ' s streak of consecutive games played was broken in the 2009 – 10 season , when he missed four games with a cheekbone injury in February 2010 . He still managed to set new career highs in both goals ( 25 ) and assists ( 34 ) . On February 10 , shortly after returning from injury , Laich recorded his first career NHL hat trick against the Montreal Canadiens . During the playoffs , Laich scored the last goal of the Capitals season during Game 7 against the Montreal Canadiens . During the 2010 – 11 season , the Capitals participated in the 2011 NHL Winter Classic against the Pittsburgh Penguins . Leading up to the game , both teams were featured on HBO ' s " 24 / 7 " , which offered a behind the scenes look at both teams as they prepared . Laich refused to blame the presence of the cameras for the team ' s losing streak , saying " There ' s no using the HBO cameras as a crutch or an annoyance or anything like that . There ' s no excuse . I don ' t think HBO has played any bit of an ounce in how things have gone the last two weeks . " Laich was appreciative of the opportunities afforded by the outdoor game , and was happy to be able to share time with his family and friends on the outdoor rink set up at Heinz Field . On June 28 , 2011 , Laich signed a 6 - year contract extension , worth $ 27 million over the 6 years , $ 4 . 5 million a season . International play . Laich debuted with Team Canada at the 2003 World Junior Championships , which were held in Halifax , Nova Scotia . In a game against Sweden , Laich scored Canada ' s first goal of the tournament . He scored two goals and added four assists in six games at the tournament , where Canada won a silver medal . According to his father , Harold , his son had always dreamed of playing for Canada . Laich ' s next experience with Team Canada came at the 2010 World Championships . He scored one goal in seven games as Canada finished seventh . During the tournament in a game against Russia , Laich raised the ire of his Capitals ' teammate Semyon Varlamov for slashing and cross - checking Alexander Ovechkin . Varlamov said of Laich ' s play " . . . Brooks Laich was constantly trying to slash and cross - check him ( Ovechkin ) as painful [ sic ] as possible . After the game he certainly wished me luck and victory at the world championship , but the unpleasant impression still remains . " Playing style . In 2009 , Capitals ' head coach Bruce Boudreau believed that Laich had not yet reached his full potential , saying " . . . I still don ' t think we ' ve seen the best of Brooks . I think he ' s going to be a 25 - , 30 - goal scorer in this league and become a staple for a while . " Boudreau also said Laich is considered one of the hardest working players on the Capitals ' roster by his coaches and teammates . Part of Laich ' s inspiration comes from his father , who during a 34 year tenure as a high school principal only missed three days of work . Laich plays on the Capitals power play and kills penalties in addition to his ice time at even strength . Superstar Alexander Ovechkin is the Capitals current captain , but Laich has been lauded for his leadership and was considered for a more formal role in the team ' s leadership structure in 2009 . Laich is a hard worker , and dedicated to his team , saying : " If I asked you about your family , you would talk about them forever because it ' s something you love . That ' s the way I feel about this team . This team is my life , and I love playing here and I ' m passionate about playing hockey . So it ' s easy for me to talk about it . " Boudreau says " You are never going to find a guy that cares more than Brooks Laich . " Laich spends time in the off - season with a power skating instructor , which he feels is key to a long career . Personal life . Laich has two siblings , an older sister and younger brother . His father worked as a high school teacher and principal . In his free time , he plays guitar and golfs . Colorado Avalanche star Joe Sakic was Laich ' s favorite player growing up . He is actively involved in charity work , supporting charities related to multiple sclerosis and Athletes Against Autism . While still playing junior hockey , Laich helped his hometown of Wawota raise money to purchase a Zamboni for the local arena . Laich received national media attention when he stopped to help two stranded Capitals fans change their flat tire after a Game 7 loss in the 2010 NHL playoffs . When he came across the woman and her teenaged daughter stranded on the Theodore Roosevelt Bridge , Laich stopped to install their spare and apologized for the club ' s early loss in the playoffs . For his efforts , Laich was Michael Farber ' s nominee for the 2010 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year . When asked about the incident , Laich responded " It ' s not a big deal . It was just a tire . The lady was stranded on the side of the road , I saw that it was just a lady and her daughter , and I figured my tire expertise outweighed hers . " Career statistics . Junior and professional . " Statistics source " International . " Statistics source "