The Washington Capitals will be without one of their forwards and alternate captains this season. T.J. Oshie will be placed on long-term injured reserve when the season begins.
T.J. Oshie to Miss Season
#caps say T.J. Oshie is expected to be on LTIR this season. pic.twitter.com/IaF4e2f0qd
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) September 18, 2024
The announcement came Wednesday after Oshie completed a medical exam. The 37-year old had been dealing with back issues dating back to last season. The extend of the injury was not known until the announcement on Wednesday afternoon.
Oshie released the following statement:
“The last season was challenging for me, my family, and my teammates as I dealt with a chronic back injury that kept me out of the lineup. I have used the offseason to explore and pursue long-term solutions for my injury. 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. I greatly appreciate all of our fans’ support during this time.”
A former first-round pick of the St. Louis Blues, Oshie was traded to the Capitals in the summer of 2015. Oshie has recorded 385 points in 567 games, ranking second on the team in goals during that span. Only Alex Ovechkin is ahead of him. The forward played in his 1,000th career game this past season, becoming just the 12th player in franchise history to reach the mark in a Capitals sweater.
Oshie has scored 29 goals and 60 points in 76 postseason games with Washington. Furthermore, the forward scored eight goals and totaled 21 points in the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Oshie helped the Capitals win their first Stanley Cup that season.
Financial Impact of Oshie’s Back Injury
By placing Oshie on LTIR, his $5.75 million cap hit will not count towards the team’s salary cup. This frees up money for the Capitals, who did some spend additional salary this off-season by trading for Pierre-Luc Dubois.
Furthermore, Oshie is not the only player expected to be placed on LTIR. Centre Nicklas Backstrom is expected to miss time due to a hip injury.
Unknown Future Awaits Oshie
Oshie is entering the final year of his contract. At this time, it is unknown if the Capitals are interested in bringing him back. If they do not, Oshie will hit the free agent market for the first time in his career. Of course, this all pending how his back recovers. It is unpleasant to think about, but at 37 years old, we may be seeing the beginning of the end of the career of the 2018 Stanley Cup champion.
Main Photo Credit: Wendell Cruz
