TJ Oshie spoke to media on Tuesday for the first time since the Washington Capitals were swept out of the playoffs by the New York Rangers.
Oshie made headlines when he lingered on the ice after the Game Four loss and was the last Capitals player to walk down to the locker room, seemingly taking everything in for a final time.
“I’m 37 years old now, you just never know,” Oshie said. “You want to celebrate and savor those moments.”
When asked about his plans for next season, Oshie did not rule out playing but asserted his return would require answers and a fix from doctors regarding his back.
“I’d love to play next year but I will need to come back with somewhat of a guarantee that my back won’t be…it’s hard putting everyone through this situation,” Oshie said.
“I love the game. Still love coming to the rink everyday. Obviously there’s some health things that I’ve got to follow up with, with Serbs (head athletic trainer Jason Serbus) and the doctors and go over some options, but I love the game. I still love coming here. I’d love to play next season but I need to find a way to maybe eliminate me going in and out of the lineup because of the same issue every time. We’ll be just looking for answers for now.”
When pressed by Tarik El-Bashir that “in your mind, you’re playing next year,” Oshie clarified that it would be difficult for him to personally utter the r-word.
“In my mind, it would be hard for me to ever for sure say that I’m… I’m stepping away from the game,” Oshie said. “I’d love to play next year but it will need to be, I will need to come back, with somewhat of a guarantee that my back won’t be… it’s hard putting everyone through this situation from my family at home to the team trying to figure out a lineup to young guys getting called up and going down. I’d like to find an answer and a fix to the problem before making another run at it.”
Last summer, Oshie had a minimally invasive procedure on his back done — a double ablation — to help relieve pain.
“It was kind of a short-term fix thing and something we had tried a couple times throughout the season,” Oshie said. “And it helped with a couple other things. My issue is there’s more than just one problem back there. There’s multiple things that we need to find an answer for.”
Oshie revealed he’s been working closely with Dr. Kerry Johnson of Johnson Spinal Care in Minnesota.
“He’s been flying in,” Oshie said. “Since our game out in Minnesota, I think he’s been out here five times. Recently, did an emergency flight after Game 2 after I took that hit there.
“There’s been a lot of just extra things that I have to do to make sure that my back is ready to play an NHL game. I miss the days where I’d come in and have a coffee and sit on the training room table maybe hot tub, and throw the stuff on and go play. I did enjoy it while it lasted but it just takes a little bit more.”
Oshie said that when his back flares up and he can’t play, “I’m usually literally on the floor peeing in water bottles. It sucks when that happens and I can’t pick up kids or do any of that until I go see Dr. Johnson up in Minnesota and he gets me all aligned and then I seem to feel a lot better.”
Oshie has one season remaining on an eight-year, $46 million deal he originally signed in 2017. His cap hit is $5.75 million.
During the conversation with the press, Oshie also confirmed that he played through a broken hand.
“Dylan was not supposed to say that,” Oshie said incredulously. “It happened midway through the second of Game 3. So, it’s fine.”
Oshie was injured by a body check from New York Rangers’ enforcer Matt Rempe.
“Yeah, it was the hit,” Oshie said. “My hand just got full squished there in the boards. No big deal. It really, when things like that happen, adrenaline gets you though the game, and the trainers did a good job getting me ready to play the next one. I felt very able and capable. No excuses here.
“A broken hand is like a hangnail compared to what I go through with my back.”
