Richard Brooks Orpik was born on September 26, 1980, in San Francisco, California, shortly after the United States' "Miracle on Ice" victory over the Soviet Union at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid. He was named after Herb Brooks, the head coach of the U.S. Olympic hockey team that achieved the historic win. Orpik grew up in Amherst, New York, where he attended the Nichols School in Buffalo. He later transferred to Thayer Academy in Braintree, Massachusetts, to further his education and hockey development.
Orpik played college hockey at Boston College for three seasons. During his time there, he contributed to the Eagles winning the Hockey East postseason championship in both 1999 and 2001. He also played a key role in Boston College’s victory at the 2001 NCAA Men’s Ice Hockey Championship.
In the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, Brooks Orpik was selected in the first round, 18th overall, by the Pittsburgh Penguins. He began his professional career with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, Pittsburgh's American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, during the 2001–2002 season. His NHL debut came in the 2002–2003 season, where he played six games. The following season, having secured a permanent spot on the team roster, Orpik played 79 games, recorded one goal, nine assists, and accumulated 127 penalty minutes.
Orpik became a cornerstone of the Penguins’ defense during his tenure. In the summer of 2008, he signed a six-year contract worth $22.5 million with the team. That same year, he was named an alternate captain, stepping in for Sergei Gonchar during Gonchar’s injury absence. In 2009, Orpik played a significant role in helping the Penguins capture the Stanley Cup by defeating the Detroit Red Wings in seven games during the Stanley Cup Finals.
