T.J. Oshie Reflects On Decision To Retire, His NHL Journey & How The Capitals Changed His Life: 'I Gave Everything I Had'
The Capitals icon is hanging up the skates after 16 seasons in the NHL.
WASHINGTON — A teary-eyed T.J. Oshie stood before Washington Capitals faithful in a spot close to his heart, staring out at the Washington Harbour fountains where he and his teammates swam seven years ago to the day to celebrate their historic Stanley Cup win.
As he read from a handful of pages he’d typed up himself, he came across a quote that summed things up pretty well for him. A quote his late father always put up on the door.
“Today, I will give all I have for this moment,” Oshie recited. “It may never come again."
“To my family, friends, coaches, trainers, teammates, fans and to the game of hockey, I can promise you this: the moment my skates touched the ice, I gave you everything I had,” Oshie said proudly.
Giving it all was the only option for the now 38-year-old, who officially announced his retirement following 16 seasons in the NHL, including nine with the Capitals.
“Actually saying the words out loud at the podium with my family in front of me, the Caps organization, my teammates, my close friends. It was emotional,” Oshie said.
For Oshie, he knew in his heart that he’d played his last game back on April 28, 2024, a 4-2 loss to the New York Rangers that saw him and Washington eliminated in the opening round of the playoffs. He made sure to linger on the ice then, taking it all in with a smile, before taking off the skates for a final time.
It was the last time he was overly emotional about calling it a career, up until Monday, when, while reading his farewell speech, he shed some tears as he reflected on his journey.
Oshie got his start with the St. Louis Blues, who took him 24th overall in the 2005 NHL Draft. It wasn’t until July 2, 2015, though, that the path of Oshie’s life would change forever, as he received a call from general manager Doug Armstrong that he’d been traded to D.C.
“There was a feeling like I let down a city and an organization… I was nervous, scared,” Oshie recalled. “How could I leave a team of trainers and players and fans who I love so much… most of that weight was lifted a couple of minutes (when) I got a call from Capitals GM Brian MacLellan.
“Mac, you’re a man of few words, but in just minutes, you made me feel how excited the Capitals were to have me. Thank you for your belief in me. It changed my life.”
Oshie made an immediate impact with the Capitals, becoming a key piece of the core and a leader on and off the ice. In 567 games with Washington, Oshie picked up 192 goals and 193 assists for 385 points, along with 76 power-play goals, the fifth-most in franchise history. In 2018, he had 21 points in 24 playoff games to finally lead the Capitals to the Stanley Cup.
Beyond those stats, though, Oshie cemented his legacy as a “warrior” throughout his career. An Olympic hero in 2014 after scoring four shootout goals to lift Team USA over host Russia in Sochi, Oshie played with relentless energy and grit.
Even when his back was giving out to the point where he couldn’t move, he powered through it, doing what he could to not just get dressed for a game, but play in it and dominate it.
“(His teammates) understand, if they’re having a bad day or a little bit sick to a little bit sore, they remember T.J. Oshie as a teammate, how he battled through,” coach Spencer Carbery said. “You remember that for your career.”
For Oshie, it’s hard to put into words what it’s meant to be remembered and honored the way he has been. After all, he said it time and time again: “The name on the front is a hell of a lot more important than the one on the back.”
"I like to think that when I was playing, I was playing for my teammates, for my coaches, for my family, for my fans. I rarely thought about my own accolades," Oshie said. "To be remembered that way is a huge honor, because that was my goal and the way I played the game."
As he enters the next chapter, he said he’s feeling healthy and is able to play with his kids without pain. He hopes to stay involved with the Capitals organization going forward, and it’s almost certain he will be.