NEW YORK, NY – Washington Capitals goaltender Michal Neuvirth, who posted a 7-3-0 record with a 2.15 goals-against average, .926 save percentage and one shutout, has been named the NHL Rookie of the Month for October.
Neuvirth edged Capitals defenseman John Carlson (1-5–6 in 11 games), Edmonton Oilers forward Jordan Eberle (4-4–8 in nine games), Pittsburgh Penguins forward Mark Letestu (4-3–7 in 12 games), Carolina Hurricanes forward Jeff Skinner (3-4–7 in 10 games) and Montreal Canadiens defenseman P.K. Subban (0-6–6 in 11 games) for the award.
Neuvirth, at 22, became the youngest Capital goaltender to start a season opener since Jim Carey, who was two months younger when he started the first game of the 1996-97 season. Neuvirth appeared in each of Washington’s 11 games in October and shared the NHL lead with seven victories. He turned aside 37 of 39 shots in a 3-2 overtime victory at Nashville October 16 and posted his first career NHL shutout with a 29-save performance in a 3-0 victory at Carolina October 27.
Claimed by the Capitals in the second round, 34th overall, of the 2006 Entry Draft — 11 picks after the club nabbed fellow 22-year-old netminder Semyon Varlamov — the Czech Republic native backstopped the OHL Plymouth Whalers to a berth in the Memorial Cup in 2006-07, his first season in North America. He starred for the AHL Hershey Bears in each of the past two seasons, helping the club capture back-to-back Calder Cup championships.
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