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Washington Capitals star T.J. Oshie has called it a career after 16 seasons in the NHL.
The Stanley Cup champion, who helped Team USA claim victory over Russia in the 2014 Sochi Olympics, announced his decision Monday while speaking to fans at Washington Harbour in Georgetown.
“Seven years ago, me and my teammates were swimming in that fountain celebrating an amazing time in our careers,” Oshie said, recalling the Capitals’ Stanley Cup celebrations in 2018. “I can’t thank the Caps enough. Another first-class move by them to have my retirement here, invite all the people out. It really made this day special.”
Oshie, 38, was drafted in the first round of the 2005 NHL Draft by the St. Louis Blues, where he played seven seasons before being traded to Washington in 2015. He registered 192 goals and 193 assists (385 points) in 567 games with the Capitals, trailing only Alex Ovechkin for the most goals on the team.
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“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,” Oshie said in a statement provided by the National Hockey League’s Players Association.
“I also want to thank the fans, your energy and passion made every game memorable, and it was an honor to play in front of you.”
Oshie was sidelined last season with an ongoing back injury. His final NHL game was on April 28, 2024, against the New York Rangers in the playoffs.
One of his most memorable moments, which earned him the title of Olympic hero, was in 2014 when he scored four shootout goals in the United States’ victory over Russia in the preliminary round of the Sochi Games.
“I like to think that when I was playing, that I was playing for my teammates, for my coaches, for my family, for my fans. I rarely thought about my own accolades,” Oshie said Monday. “To be remembered (as a ‘warrior’ type of player) is a huge honor because that was my goal and the way I played the game.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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