TJ Oshie has been a revelation since returning to the Washington Capitals’ lineup on January 11.
The winger has scored five goals and notched six points in five games. Oshie’s hat trick on the Capitals’ Country Music Night helped lead the club to a 5-2 victory over the St. Louis Blues.
The popular forward’s production comes after a slow and unlucky start to the 2023-24 campaign where he registered two goals and two assists in his first 21 games. Oshie also missed 17 games during that span due to several different injuries.
Two weeks ago, head coach Spencer Carbery revealed that Oshie was not with the team and returned to his home state of Minnesota. In-season trips away from the team are not common and after Nicklas Backstrom’s early season departure, Oshie’s trip north had fans fearing the worst for the 37-year-old.
But not only is Oshie back and playing again, he’s currently in the midst of one of the biggest heaters of his recent career.
“Last game he was fastest skater,” Alex Ovechkin said. “This game he gets a hat trick. He’s pretty hot. Our job is just to give him puck.”
So what gives?
“I just go see my [chiropractor] there,” Oshie revealed after his hat trick on Thursday. “It’s the same guy that I’ve seen for two years now any time I miss time with certain injuries. No different.”
Oshie revealed the trip has not been uncommon for him recently as he’s worked to come back from a myriad of injuries including recurring back issues. His trips just haven’t been made public previously.
“I’ve done it five or six times here in the last two years. So it’s nothing different, it’s just this time you guys found out about it,” he said laughing. “I mean, it’s a 24-hour trip.”
Oshie’s wife, Lauren, added that the entire family joined TJ on the trip “for a couple of days” during a Q/A on her Instagram.
The family has homes both in Northern Virginia and Minnesota and usually take trips up north during the summer.
The 37-year-old Oshie, who has one more season left on an eight-year, $46 million contract, has been no stranger to injuries of late. He played just 58 games last season and 44 the year before. He’s currently on pace to suit up only 50 times this season.
But Oshie has done his best to manage and improve his health as best he can. Over the offseason, he had a back procedure that made a “a light year’s difference.” He also recently gave up playing golf as a hobby to keep his back from flaring up.
