Kraken keeper makes history: Grubauer tops German-born goalies

Last night’s game we saw a new milestone reached for Philipp Grubauer. With his 163rd win of his career, the former Stanley Cup champion moves into first all time in wins for German-born goalies.

The mark allowed him to pass Thomas Greiss, who sits at 162 wins in his 14-year career. Grubauer has managed to pass this threshold just halfway through his 13th season in the NHL. While technically this puts him at the top of the list for German-born goalies, the mighty Godzilla—Olaf Kolzig—who was born in South Africa to German parents, still holds the record for most wins with 303. So while Grubauer does hold the record for German-born wins, he remains second all time among German goalies.

A journey from Washington to Colorado

Grubauer’s journey began in Washington, where he entered the league as a promising backup with the Capitals. Over time, he slowly earned more starts behind superstar goalie Braden Holtby, showing flashes of brilliance in the regular season. Though he was part of the Capitals’ 2018 Stanley Cup-winning roster, he didn’t play a significant role during their successful playoff run. Still, that first taste of championship hockey set the bar for what he hoped to achieve in his own career.

Following the Cup victory, Grubauer found a new home in Colorado. He quickly became a crucial piece of an Avalanche squad loaded with superstar talent. During the 2020-21 season, he finished third in Vezina Trophy voting, setting career highs in both wins and GAA. Yet for all their regular-season success, the Avalanche couldn’t shake off playoff disappointments. Although the team dominated the NHL standings, they consistently struggled to punch their ticket to the Stanley Cup Final.

Making history in Seattle

In the summer of 2021, Grubauer became one of the first major free-agent signings in Seattle Kraken history. He arrived with high expectations, but that inaugural season was anything but smooth. He posted some of the lowest numbers of his career, and fans watched his former team, the Avalanche, hoist the Stanley Cup in 2022—without him. It was a tough pill to swallow, but Grubauer persisted through the ups and downs in Seattle, adapting to the rigors of a new expansion franchise still finding its footing.

The following year, Grubauer finally got a chance at sweet revenge. In a first-round playoff series against his old team, the Kraken stunned Colorado—and the hockey world—by knocking out the defending champions in seven games. Time and again, Grubauer came up huge, notably posting a .971 save percentage in both Game 1 and the decisive Game 7. Across the series, he faced 231 shots and stopped 214 of them, ending with a stellar .926 save percentage. His timely saves helped secure the Kraken’s first-ever playoff series victory, cementing his status as a fan favorite in Seattle.

Flashes of the old Grubi

Grubauer’s time with the Kraken has certainly been a mixed bag. There have been stretches of inconsistent play, with stats that at times rank near the bottom of starting goalies across the league. Yet every so often, fans are reminded of the goalie who finished third in Vezina voting, whether he’s robbing an opponent on a breakaway or calmly steering the team to a critical win. It’s in these glimpses that hope remains high, even on nights when the final score doesn’t tilt in Seattle’s favor.

Realistically, the Kraken don’t look like a playoff-caliber team this season, and their future plans in net appear to be moving away from Grubauer. With the team already locking up Joey Daccord on a five-year extension, the writing on the wall suggests a new era is on the horizon. Still, Grubauer’s impact on the franchise will never be forgotten. Not only did he earn the milestone of 163 career wins—making him the winningest German-born goalie ever—but he’ll forever be celebrated for backstopping the Kraken to their first playoff series victory against Colorado. As the organization transitions toward fresh faces and a new identity, we can take a moment to appreciate all that “Grubi” accomplished, both as a pioneer for German-born netminders and as a key chapter in Kraken history.