Washington Capitals move T.J. Oshie to injured reserve

It certainly hasn’t been an easy season thus far for Washington Capitals forward T.J. Oshie. According to Tom Gulitti of NHL.com, the veteran finds himself back on injured reserve Wednesday after returning for only one game.

Oshie was activated on Nov. 20 in time for the Capitals’ game against the San Jose Sharks, but managed just 14 minutes of ice time. He didn’t play in the team’s loss the next night and now finds himself off the roster for the second time this season. Oshie will be eligible to play on Sunday, thanks to a retroactive IR placement, but it’s unclear when he’ll actually be inserted back into the lineup.

In eight games so far this season, he actually has seven points including four goals. The 34-year-old forward just hasn’t been able to stay healthy so far, a concern as he heads into his mid-30s. Oshie is under contract for three more seasons, meaning the Capitals will have to hope these early injuries are just disappointing coincidences, not a trend.

Still, there was some good news at practice Wednesday. Nicklas Backstrom re-joined the group for the first time, skating with a non-contact sweater. He didn’t participate in line drills, but just to have him back with the group is a good sign that he is on his way to a return.