Capitals place TJ Oshie on LTIR list

As expected, the Washington Capitals will place TJ Oshie on the long-term injured reserve list when the regular season begins. Oshie took part in a physical this morning, and the medical staff determined that his back issues would keep him out indefinitely. The organization sent out a press release with Oshie’s comments on the decision:

“Last season was a difficult one for me, my family and my teammates as I struggled with a chronic back injury that kept me out of the lineup. I used the offseason to explore and find long-term solutions to my injury. I remain committed to the process and am working and doing everything I can to regain full health. In the meantime, I will continue to help and support my teammates and the organization in any way I can. I greatly appreciate the support of all our fans during this time.“.

Oshie appeared in just 52 games for the Capitals last year, posting a career-low 0.48 points-per-game average. He has been injured fairly frequently in Washington, playing in just 81.1 percent of the team’s regular-season games since the 2015-16 NHL season.

The Washington team should be able to fill Oshi’s vacancy by acquiring a new player Pierre-Luc Dubois AND Andrew Mangiapane in separate deals this summer. The team will also free up about $14.95 million in salary cap space when Oshie joins Nicklas Backstrom on LTIR to start the year, leaving plenty of room for additions during the season.

Oshie was entering the final year of an eight-year, $46 million contract extension he signed with the Capitals in 2017, and it appears he won’t be able to finish it out at a high level. A chronic back injury not only threatens his future in Washington, but also the future of his professional hockey career.

He remains committed to resolving his injury woes, and will likely have a full year to do so. He will become an unrestricted free agent next summer at age 38, with his final game coming on April 28, 2024.