Oshie mulls retirement as Capitals head into uncertain offseason

T.J. Oshie is not ready for retirement.

He might not have a choice.

As the Washington Capitals cleared out their lockers on Tuesday, the 37-year-old said he’ll only play next season if his body allows it.

Oshie was the last player to leave the rink after the Capitals’ playoff loss Sunday, taking an extra lap to wave to the legions of fans who have supported him for nine years in the District.

Despite speculation that Oshie has stepped off the ice for the last time, he told reporters that he has no interest in hanging up his skates. But he doesn’t know if his body can withstand the wear and tear of another NHL campaign.

“I love the game, I still love coming to the rink every day,” Oshie said. “I’d still love to play next season, but I need to find a way to eliminate me going in and out of the lineup. … We’ll just be looking for answers for now.”

Injuries have plagued the right winger’s career of late. They keep piling up. He suffered a concussion around Thanksgiving. Oshie broke his hand in Friday’s Game 3 of the Capitals’ first-round playoff series against the New York Rangers. He finished the game and started Game 4 just 48 hours later.

Compared to his recurring back issues, the 2005 first-round pick said his broken hand is “like a hangnail.”

“Throughout my two years, he’s been nothing short of an unbelievable teammate … He’s a warrior,” center Dylan Strome said. “The stuff that he has to do to get his body ready for a hockey game is pretty incredible. He puts it all out there on the line.”

Oshie acknowledged that he might not control when his career ends. Injuries have already affected his life off the ice. When his back keeps him out of the lineup, the father of four has trouble picking up his kids.

“If I’m in a state where when I can’t play, I’m usually literally on the floor, peeing in water bottles,” Oshie said. “It sucks when it happens.”

Oshie appeared choked up as he spoke with reporters on Tuesday. He said he’s savoring every moment, just in case.

When Oshie was younger, the pregame routine only took a few minutes. The Minnesota native says he’d grab a coffee, sit on the trainer’s table and pop in the hot tub for a moment. The preparation looks different now. It’s a process.

“No one outside our locker room knows what he has to do every day to make sure his body’s in shape,” goalie Charlie Lindgren said. “He’s a true old-fashioned hockey player. … I can’t say enough unbelievable things about him as a hockey player and as a teammate.”

Several players praised Oshie before they left to train on their own for the summer. Long-time teammates like Alex Ovechkin and right winger Tom Wilson worried that this would be the last time they’d share a locker room with him.

“He’s a guy who brings so much energy on the ice, off the ice,” Ovechkin said. “He has so much respect from the coaching staff to fans and from the players as well. He’s the guy who brings everything.”

The older Capitals formed a tight brotherhood over the last five years. Only a few players remain from the Stanley Cup championship team. The veterans said the prospect of losing another foundational piece is daunting.

“It’s pretty emotional when you think there’s a slight possibility that you may not be able to battle with your brother and your really close friend and your teammate,” Wilson said. “I hope he gets to a place where he’s good enough to go, but every day with him is an absolute pleasure and privilege.”

The Capitals, like Oshie, enter the offseason with an uncertain future. After overperforming in 2022-23, the organization will have to chart a course forward. Will they maintain the status quo, even if a championship run seems unlikely? Or will they embrace a rebuild for star Alex Ovechkin’s final runs?

The foundation of the next-gen Capitals, including young players like Hendrix Lapierre and Connor McMichael, grew stronger in 2024. Eight Capitals players had their first taste of playoff hockey against the Rangers.

“I think this year was positive for what we went through,” Oshie said. “I think it brought this team closer together … The new core over the next three, four years here, those guys got a lot closer this year. And you need that stuff. That’s a good foundation for our future leaders.”

Other Capitals hope Oshie will be around to guide that foundation for another season. The alternate captain is entering the final year of his contract.

“If he’s good to go, I’m gonna be the happiest guy on the planet,” Wilson said. “He’s a guy we love having around, so I’m hoping his health and everything gets back.”

Washington’s old guard is washing away. Ovechkin turns 39 this year. Oshie faces retirement. Evgeny Kuzetsov and Nicklas Backstrom are gone. Future success for Washington will depend on a smooth transition to the next generation.

“What [the older players] did was they put everything they have on the ice and then lead and dragged young players into the fight,” first-year coach Spencer Carbery said. “Given where we’re at as an organization, I felt like it’s a feather in the cap.”