Capitals’ T.J. Oshie retires after 16-season NHL career

There was a report that Oshie was expected to announce his retirement on Wednesday last week after it was revealed that he would be hosting an event at the Washington Harbour on Monday.

“After 17 unforgettable years in the NHL, I’ve decided to retire,” Oshie said in a statement released by the NHL Players’ Association in conjunction with the event. “I would like to thank the Washington Capitals and the St. Louis Blues for giving me the opportunity to play the game I love, all of my teammates who battled with me every night, my coaches who challenged me to be better every day, and the athletic trainers and equipment staff who got me ready to play. I also want to thank the fans  your energy and passion made every game memorable, and it was an honour to play in front of you.”

Oshie did not play in the 2024-25 season for the Capitals, as he was dealing with a chronic back issue that limited him to just 52 games in the 2023-24 season. He had 12 goals, 13 assists, and 25 points in those 52 games for the Caps, and had one assist in four playoff games when they were swept by the New York Rangers that season.

Considering the state of the 38-year-old’s injury, retirement was expected, but he still had one year left on his eight-year contract with a $5.75 million cap hit to play out. With that contract now up this summer, it is no surprise that Oshie will be announcing his retirement.

Originally the 24th-overall pick by the Blues in the 2005 NHL Draft, Oshie finishes his career with 1,010 games played in the regular season with the Blues and Capitals across 16 seasons, accumulating 302 goals, 393 assists and 695 points. He also had 34 goals, 35 assists and 69 points in 106 playoff games, with a Stanley Cup win with the Capitals in 2018, which featured his best playoff performance with 8 goals, 13 assists and 21 points in 24 games.

“T.J. Sochi” will also be known for his performance in the 2014 Olympic Games with the United States. While the U.S. did not medal in the tournament, he had 1 goals, 3 assists and 4 points in 6 games, highlighted by being selected six times in the shootout of a 3-2 win in the the preliminary round against Russia, scoring four times.