The Capitals announced TJ Oshie has been listed as injured after his start-of-season physical on Wednesday. He will begin the season on LTIR.
The revelation comes after the Capitals included Oshie on their 72-man training camp roster as required because he’s still under contract with the club. He has one year remaining on his deal.
“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,” Oshie said in a statement. “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.”
“We will support and assist TJ as he seeks a lasting solution for his recurring injury,” Capitals general manager Chris Patrick added. “TJ is a vital member of our team and continues to be an indispensable member of the organization and leadership group. Our organization fully backs him as he assesses his current health challenges.”
The Washington Capitals and T.J. Oshie provide an update on Oshie’s health status.
Full release: https://t.co/xRvDSXkLNn pic.twitter.com/GnIHgjJDH0
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) September 18, 2024
Over the past few seasons, Oshie has dealt with recurring back issues that have kept him out of the team’s lineup for extended periods. The 37-year-old winger raised eyebrows when he lingered on the ice after Washington’s series-ending loss to the New York Rangers in April. He 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 then. “You want to celebrate and savor those moments.”
Oshie never ruled himself out of returning but stated that he would step away from the game if he couldn’t find “an answer and a fix” to his back problems. He previously sought treatment from multiple chiropractors, had a minimally invasive procedure done to relieve pain, and briefly gave up recreational golf to prolong his career.
No information was provided on Nicklas Backstrom’s status. After taking a leave of absence from the team, Backstrom spent the majority of last season on LTIR.
Per PuckPedia, the Capitals are currently $10.27 million over the salary cap, with 22 of 23 roster slots filled. Once Oshie ($5.75M) and Backstrom ($9.2M) are placed on LTIR, the team will have $4.68 million in free space and two freed-up roster spots.
Here’s the full press release from the Capitals:
Statements from Capitals GM Chris Patrick and Forward T.J. Oshie
Caps SVP & GM Chris Patrick will address the media at Caps Media Day on Thursday, Sept. 19 at 3 p.m. at MedStar Capitals Iceplex
ARLINGTON, Va. – Washington Capitals alternate captain T.J. Oshie completed his medical exam today, and his status is listed as injured. Oshie is expected to be placed on the long-term injury reserve list during the 2024-25 season. Oshie and Capitals Senior Vice President and General Manager Chris Patrick have released the following statements about Oshie’s health situation:
“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.” – T.J. Oshie
“We will support and assist T.J. as he seeks a lasting solution for his recurring injury. T.J. is a vital member of our team and continues to be an indispensable member of the organization and leadership group. Our organization fully backs him as he assesses his current health challenges.” – Chris Patrick
Since joining the Capitals ahead of the 2015-16 season, Oshie has recorded 385 points (192g, 193a) in 567 games, ranking second on the team in goals in that span, only behind Alex Ovechkin. Oshie played in his 1,000th career game on March 16 in Vancouver, becoming the 12th player in franchise history to reach the mark in a Capitals sweater.
