Washington Capitals winger T.J. Oshie is expected to go on long-term injured reserve this season because of chronic back problems.
The team announced Wednesday that Oshie will be listed as injured at the start of training camp after undergoing his medical exam. He and the Capitals left the door open for a possible return, even though it may be unlikely.
“I have used the offseason to explore and pursue long-term solutions for my injury,” Oshie said in a statement. “I remain committed to the process and am working and doing my best to regain total health. In the meantime, I will continue to help and support my teammates and the organization in any way I can.”
Oshie, 37, said in late April he hoped to continue playing but only if he and doctors could find a permanent solution with his back that would keep him from being in and out of the lineup. Injuries, though not just to his back, limited Oshie to 52 of 82 games last season, 58 in 2022-23 and 44 in ’21-22.
“We will support and assist T.J. as he seeks a lasting solution for his recurring injury," general manager Chris Patrick said. "T.J. is a vital member of our team and continues to be an indispensable member of the organization and leadership group. Our organization fully backs him as he assesses his current health challenges.”
Oshie is in the last year of his contract, and the Capitals will get LTIR relief for Oshie’s $5.75 million salary cap hit, just as they are with center Nicklas Backstrom, who stepped away early last season because of a nagging hip injury.
The front office planned this past offseason for the possibility of not having Oshie, acquiring winger Andrew Mangiapane from Calgary among several moves to revamp the roster following a first-round sweep at the hands of the New York Rangers. Before handing the day-to-day responsibilities over to Patrick, longtime GM Brian MacLellan put together a team that would be cap compliant with Oshie and Backstrom on LTIR but with the flexibility to adjust if the situation changed.
Oshie, who grew up in Everett, Washington, and moved to Warroad, Minnesota, as a teenager, played his first seven seasons in the league with St. Louis. He’s best known for his shootout heroics for the U.S. against host Russia at the 2014 Olympics, where he scored on four of six attempts to clinch a victory and earned national fame beyond hockey as “T.J. Sochi.”
Traded to Washington in 2015, he had 21 points on the 2018 Stanley Cup run and famously chugged a beer through his jersey at the rally following the first championship parade in franchise history.
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Stephen Whyno, The Associated Press