TJ Oshie‘s 1,000th NHL game in Vancouver may not be going as previously planned.
The Washington Post’s Bailey Johnson reports that the Capitals’ veteran winger left the team’s morning skate early before their game against the Canucks and did not take part in line rushes. She added that Oshie is currently being evaluated by the Capitals and will be a game-time decision due to an upper-body injury.
The unfortunate news comes after the Capitals have been celebrating Oshie’s eventual achievement all Saturday morning and afternoon. The team created a TJ1K hashtag for the big night and changed all of their social media theming in anticipation of Oshie playing against the Canucks.
Happy #TJ1K Day to all who celebrate pic.twitter.com/MSD1epsqh8
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) March 16, 2024
Oshie was just activated off of injured reserve earlier this week after missing seven games with an upper-body injury. The veteran forward was taken out of action after doubling over in pain as he tried to make a pass to a teammate against the Tampa Bay Lightning on February 22.
He has missed significant time over the last few years due to flare-ups in his back and notably underwent a procedure on the problem last spring. He has missed 24 games so far this season and made a trip up to Minnesota in December to get treatment from his chiropractor. Oshie is on pace for his fourth straight season playing under 60 games.
If the Capitals deem Oshie unavailable for their matchup in Vancouver, they are carrying two extra forwards on their road trip. Mike Sgarbossa and Nicolas Aube-Kubel were healthy scratches against the Seattle Kraken and could fill in for Oshie.
After Saturday’s outing against the Canucks, the Capitals will head to Calgary on Monday to play the Flames and then return home to play the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday. The game against Toronto is the start of a four-game homestand.
