The Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals cleared some space to try to re-sign a handful of key free agents by trading veteran defenseman Brooks Orpik and backup goaltender Philipp Grubauer to the Colorado Avalanche for the 47th pick in the NHL draft .

Shedding Orpik’s $5.5 million salary in the final year of his contract and dealing Grubauer before he earned more as a restricted free agent gives them more than $20 million in cap space. It’s needed because defensemen John Carlson and Michal Kempny can become unrestricted free agents July 1 and playoff hero Devante Smith-Pelly and top-line winger Tom Wilson will get raises as RFAs.

”You don’t like trading away good people Authentic Jessie Bates III Jersey , but it’s what we had to do to move forward with the team,” Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan said Friday night. ”It’s hard to do, but we had to create some room to sign some players.”

Carlson, who led all defenseman in scoring in the regular season and playoffs, is expected to cost $8 million-plus a season on a long-term deal. The Capitals would have struggled to fit that under the $79.5 million ceiling without a move like this.

MacLellan has met with Carlson’s agent and said the two sides are really close to agreeing to a contract.

”We’re going to do our best to sign John,” MacLellan said. ”Hopefully we can close the deal here over the next 24 hours.”

The 37-year-old Orpik was a respected alternate captain who got the Cup third after Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom when Washington won its first title in franchise history. The rugged defenseman played almost 20 minutes a game in four seasons with the Capitals and scored the winning goal in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final against Vegas.

Colorado GM Joe Sakic was willing to take Orpik in the trade to keep the acquisition cost down and plans to try to trade him or buy him out. He felt it was worth it for the Avalanche to get Grubauer.

”We all feel that he’s ready to take the next step and become a No. 1,” Sakic said. ”We’re excited to have two No. 1 goalies.”

The 26-year-old joins fellow Capitals draft pick Semyon Varlamov with the Avalanche where he’ll get the chance to start more games than he did behind Braden Holtby in Washington.

Grubauer started a career-high 35 games with the Capitals this past season, going 28-15-10 with a 2.35 goals-against average and .923 save percentage. He played well enough to be the Capitals’ starter at the beginning of the playoffs but was replaced by Holtby during Game 2 of the first round after allowing eight goals on 49 shots.

The Avalanche lost Varlamov and Jonathan Bernier to injuries last season and with this move shored up their goaltending situation. Bernier will depart in free agency. Sakic expects to agree to terms on a deal with Grubauer, a pending restricted free agent, in short order.

”I believe it’ll come pretty quick,” Sakic said.

The Capitals can only hope the same in their negotiations with Carlson. It’s their goal to sign him before he can speak with other teams when the draft concludes and would be one of the top free agents available.

MacLellan also wouldn’t rule out bringing back Orpik if the Avalanche buy him out.

”I think it’s legal,” MacLellan said. ”We’re open to that depending on how much room and how much salary it would take and if we want to put him in that third pair again.”

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For the first time since Peyton Manning embarked on his farewell season three summers ago, the Denver Broncos opened training camp Saturday void of any quarterback controversy.

Case Keenum Authentic Jordan Akins Jersey , who signed a two-year, $36 million deal in free agency, took all of the important first-team snaps Saturday, unlike the last two summers when a QB competition droned on, stunting the chemistry and cohesion needed to have success in the regular season.

The Broncos, who haven't been to the playoffs since Manning retired following their Super Bowl 50 triumph, don't have to spend training camp wondering who's going to be their leader, either.

"That's the beauty of having a guy in place as your starter," coach Vance Joseph said.

And the lack of QB drama is a welcome reprieve.

"You have one voice on offense," tight end Jake Butt said. "It's always good to have a designated leader and a voice and a heartbeat and that's Case, we all know that. He's been doing a great job and we're going to continue to build on the things we did with him in the spring."

Having a starting QB in place also helps Denver's defense.

"Knowing we have a good signal caller back there, a proven signal caller, it's going to keep us off the field a little longer Denzel Ward Jersey ," linebacker Brandon Marshall said. "Our jobs will be extended, the defense will get to rest a little bit. Every year, we're just worried about us anyway, but it does affect you in the game. Turnovers, three-and-outs, things like that.

"We're human beings so of course you try to say, 'You know what, just go out there, do your job, control what you can control.' But as human beings, sometimes you get a little ornery, you get a little irritated. That's just us being humans. I think it's going to be a good year."

Keenum, a longtime journeyman who took over in Minnesota last season because of injuries and helped lead the Vikings within one step of the Super Bowl Ronald Acuna Jr. Atlanta Braves Jersey , is entering his first training camp as the designated starter.

"It's new. I've taken everything from my past and I'm applying it now. I think everything that I've been through, all the adversity, it's made me into who I am," Keenum said. "I'm always constantly learning, too, so I want to learn from these guys.

"They've obviously been to where we all want to go. They've got the hardware to prove it. I've been close enough to taste it and feel it and not get there. That's what's driving me. But always learning, always falling back on who I am and not stray too far from that. But I'm always growing and learning and trying to be the leader that this team needs me to be."

The Broncos are coming off a 5-11 season that sent them tumbling closer to the bottom of the league than the top where they were perched after beating Carolina 24-10 in Manning's farewell.

Manning was on hand Saturday, chatting up Denver's new quarterback.

"It's awesome to have one of the best 鈥?if not the best 鈥?that's ever played the game out here just watching practice," Keenum said.

First-round draft pick Bradley Chubb acknowledged being star-struck, even elbowing Shaq Barrett to say, "That's Peyton Manning!"

"And he was like, 'Yeah, I know Youth Josh Rosen Jersey ,'" Chubb recounted.

"He played with him. I didn't."

Chubb said he wanted to introduce himself after practice.

"I don't know where he went though."

Aside from the 'Where's Peyton?' puzzle, the only QB intrigue in Denver is the battle for the backup job between Paxton Lynch and Chad Kelly.

Lynch is the 2016 first-round pick out of Memphis who was unable to unseat Trevor Siemian and has started four games in two years. Kelly was the final pick in the 2017 draft who has had a strong offseason after "red-shirting" as a rookie while recovering from various injuries.

While Kelly has drawn attention and praise for his offseason work ethic, trimmed-down physique and acumen that have him primed for an upset, Lynch has more jaw-dropping athleticism and general manager John Elway in his corner.

"It's not about who the backup is, it's about that backup having the ability to come into a football game," Elway said.

NOTES: Rookie ILB Josey Jewell missed practice with what Joseph described as a "slight hamstring pull." ... OLB Shane Ray, who opted not to have surgery on his still-mending right wrist that cut short his 2017 season, wore a splint at practice and said he "felt great. No pain, and I was just able to be me."

Follow Arnie Melendrez Stapleton on Twitter: ://arniestapleton .