TJ Oshie reached a major milestone on Saturday night when he played in his 1,000th NHL game against the Vancouver Canucks. The Washington Capitals’ winger was a game-time decision before puck drop but Oshie did enough behind the scenes to get on the ice and help his team find a huge 2-1 win on the road.
The uncertainty of dressing that night epitomizes Oshie’s relentless and scrappy attitude. The 37-year-old forward reflected postgame on the trials and tribulations that he has put himself through and what has fueled him to get to this point over the past few years.
“It’s been a tough road especially these last 150 or so,” Oshie told Monumental Sports Network’s Al Koken. “There was a moment this year where we thought maybe I wasn’t going to be able to get there. It’s been a huge support system for me to get to 1,000. I love those guys, everyone so much, and appreciate them wanting this for me.
“It’s one thing for a guy to want to get to 1,000 games by himself but I had teammates telling me they were going to strap me to their backs and throw a jersey on me if it came down to the last game of the year. That’s pretty special that we have that type of character in our room.”
The Capitals’ love and appreciation for their Stanley Cup-winning teammate was apparent the whole night.
Butt slashes from the whole team
Oshie was first greeted by the entire team joining in on his and Tom Wilson’s pregame, butt-slashing ritual.
Welcomed to 1000-game club by Alex Ovechkin
Pregame, usually Oshie is greeted by Ovechkin with a chest bump and unintelligible screaming during the team’s weird pregame tunnel activities.
Instead, Ovechkin opened his arms and gave Oshie a big hug.
“Wow,” Tom Wilson said.
“Mister 1000,” Ovechkin said. “Welcome to the club.”
TJ’s Uncle Mikey announced the starting lineups
Given how close Vancouver is to Oshie’s hometown of Everett, Washington, the Capitals had TJ’s uncle Mikey come and read out the starting lineup in the locker room. After finishing with the starting right wing of the evening, Oshie, the team roared. TJ walked over and then hugged his uncle.
“Good luck,” Mikey can be heard saying. “Have a great game.”
Canucks fans give Oshie an ovation during game
The Capitals weren’t the only ones to recognize the big milestone as the Canucks paused after a whistle in the first period to honor Oshie on the jumbotron. Fans in attendance at Rogers Arena gave Oshie a loud ovation.
Oshie was touched by the gesture and made a point to highlight the Canuck’s kindness postgame.
“I really appreciate the ovation from the Vancouver fans here and the Canucks players, they all congratulated me on the ice,” Oshie said. “Real class acts – sometimes it’s hard to cheer for the opponent but I really appreciated it.”
Mic’d up
The Capitals mic’d up Oshie during the game showing what an energetic teammate he is.
“Keep using those legs, bud,” Oshie said to Hendrix Lapierre. “You’re doing f***ing great.”
“What a f***ing play, Miro,” Oshie said to the rookie forward after assisting on a Tom Wilson goal. “Great pass, baby!”
Oshie also yelled RIGHT SIDEEEEEEEEE multiple times after Wilson tallied the Capitals’ first goal.
We’ll forgive him, though, for calling plus minus the “best stat in hockey.”
Celebratory “Take Me Home, Country Roads”
Inside the locker room after the victory, The Washington Post’s Bailey Johnson reported hearing “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” the classic by John Denver, that has been Oshie’s goal song at Capital One Arena since the start of the 2019-20 season.
The Capitals also played the song in their locker room back in 2021 after Oshie tallied a hat trick against the New York Rangers in his first game since the passing of his father.
Spencer Carbery’s locker room speech
Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery centered his entire postgame, locker room speech around Oshie.
“You guys laid it on the line tonight in true 77 fashion,” Carbery said. “For that guy right there, TJ Oshie. 1,000 games!”
Carbery then handed Oshie a game puck and hugged him.
“Oh boy, I really don’t want to get emotional here,” Oshie said. “I love you guys. I love going to work with you every day. It’s been an absolute pleasure. Love you guys.”
Afterward, speaking to the media, Carbery praised Oshie and the team’s performance in a tough win.
“We had our fingers crossed that he was going to be able to play tonight,” Carbery said. “What a night. To win like that, it’s in true TJ Oshie fashion. To play so hard, guys are blocking shots, we’re grinding to get a puck across our blue line late in the game. Really happy and proud that now he and all of us can look back and remember this for the rest of our lives.”
Very sweaty postgame team photo
To wrap up the night, the Capitals all posed for a team photo with Oshie knelt down in the middle holding his game puck.
Parting words from Tom Wilson
Oshie’s teammates were energized by the big night and had effusive praise for him postgame. The most poignant postgame comments came from Tom Wilson.
“I don’t even know where to start on Osh,” Wilson said. “I could be here all night talking about him. The character, the type of person he is – I think he makes everyone in this room a better person, better player. He’s a true warrior. He hasn’t taken a shift off in his entire career.
“I’ve been so lucky personally to have him as an older brother, mentor-type guy. Just a guy that comes to the rink, loves life. Huge congrats to him, his family, and his entire support system. Obviously, his dad would be very, very proud of him. He’s done whatever it takes to get here.”
Capitals fans will get their chance to honor TJ at Capital One Arena on Sunday, March 24, as the team takes on the Winnipeg Jets. The team will honor Oshie with a pregame ceremony.
