TJ Oshie Announces Retirement After 16 NHL Seasons: ‘Bittersweet But Full of Gratitude’ trucc

WASHINGTON, DC — TJ Oshie is officially retiring from professional hockey, hanging up his skates after more than 1,000 games in the NHL.

Oshie, who missed the entire 2024-25 season due to a chronic back issue, formally announced his retirement Monday during a tear-jerking speech at Washington Harbor in Georgetown. Notable attendees from the Capitals included Spencer Carbery, Nicklas Backstrom, John Carlson, Chris Patrick, and Brian MacLellan.

“This moment is bittersweet, but I’m filled with gratitude as I reflect on an incredible journey,” Oshie said.

Oshie, 38, spent much of the past few years dealing with a back injury, going in and out of the lineup over his final two seasons before stepping away from the game for good last fall. He ends his career with 695 points (302g, 393a) and 1,010 games played.

Drafted 24th overall by St. Louis in 2005, Oshie played seven seasons with the Blues before coming to Washington via trade in 2015, where he became both one of the team’s top players and the heart and soul of the Capitals’ locker room. He briefly served as one of Washington’s alternate captains in 2023-24 after Nicklas Backstrom’s departure from the team.

Oshie played a major role in the Capitals’ 2018 Stanley Cup run, with 21 points (8g, 13a) in 24 playoff games. Six of those points (1g, 5a) came against the Vegas Golden Knights in the Final, including a three-point performance in Game 4.

Over nine seasons in Washington, Oshie scored the ninth-most goals (192) and 20th-most points (385) in Capitals history (192). He ranks fifth in all-time power-play goals for the franchise (76).

“I’ve been lucky in my life to be a part of amazing locker rooms, but the bond we have here in DC is special,” Oshie said. “It was an absolute privilege to go to war with you on the ice.”

Oshie also garnered significant attention on the international stage, where his shootout performance against Russia at the 2014 Olympics earned him the nickname “TJ Sochi.”

“In my younger years, my dad, along with the other coaches, would always put up a laminated quote on the door,” Oshie said. “The quote read, “Today I will give all I have, for this moment may never come again.” That has always stuck with me because that is the only thing I’ve ever had full control over. No amount of skill, size, or speed could control how hard I worked and whether I could give 100 percent or not. That was only up to me.

“So to my family, friends, coaches, trainers, teammates, fans, and to the game of hockey, I promise you this. The moment my skates touched the ice, I gave you everything I had.”

Despite being on LTIR, Oshie made his presence felt throughout the 2024-25 season, making appearances at several practices and giving suggestions to Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery over text.

Oshie participated in several major Capitals events including Caps 50 Fest and a Stanley Cup championship plaque unveiling at Washington Harbour in February. He was also at Capital One Arena when Alex Ovechkin tied Wayne Gretzky in goals (though he missed seeing it live) and was on Long Island when Ovi broke the goals record, taking a photo with the Capitals captain in the locker room afterward.

Since the Capitals were eliminated from the playoffs, Oshie has begun doing more projects outside of the team. In late May, Oshie made his ESPN debut as a hockey analyst, calling the experience “phenomenal” and nerve-racking. Oshie will also help debut a documentary entitled “Coach” at the DC/DOX Film Festival on Saturday, June 14, which focuses on his dad’s battle with Familial Alzheimer’s.

T.J. OSHIE RETIRES FROM NHL AFTER 16 SEASONS

Forward played in 1,010 regular-season games, 106 postseason career games and won Stanley Cup in 2018

TORONTO (June 9, 2025) – T.J. Oshie has announced his retirement from the National Hockey League after 16 seasons.

Oshie played in 1,010 regular-season NHL games with the Washington Capitals and St. Louis Blues. Over the course of his career, he accumulated 302 goals and 393 assists for a total of 695 points. He added 69 points (34-35-69) in 106 career playoff games, which were highlighted by winning the Stanley Cup with the Washington Capitals in 2018.

“After 17 unforgettable years in the NHL, I’ve decided to retire,” said T.J. Oshie. “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 was selected 24th overall by the St. Louis Blues in the first round of the 2005 NHL Draft, following a successful collegiate career. He was named to the WCHA All-Rookie Team (2006) and WCHA First All-Star Team (2008) with North Dakota. After making his NHL debut for the Blues versus the Nashville Predators on October 10, 2008, Oshie spent the first seven seasons of his NHL career with the Blues before being traded to Washington in 2015, where he would become an integral part of the Capitals.

Oshie ranks tied for third in shootout goals (49) and third in game-deciding goals in a shootout scenario (21) all-time for the franchise. While representing the Capitals, Oshie played in the NHL All-Star Game (2020), was nominated for the Bill Masterton Trophy (2024), and was part of the Capitals’ leadership group throughout his nine-year tenure with the club. The forward from Everett, Washington, is one of only 404 players to have played 1,000 or more games in the league after reaching the milestone on March 16, 2024.

On the international stage, Oshie represented Team USA at the Olympic Winter Games (Sochi 2014), three IIHF Ice Hockey World Championships (2009, 2010 and 2013) and the World Junior Championship (2006). He earned bronze at the World Championships (2013), and he gained widespread acclaim at the Olympics while representing the United States during a preliminary-round game against Russia where he converted four times on six shootout attempts – including the game-winning goal.

Over his NHL career, Oshie amassed a 47.12 shootout scoring percentage and his 21 goals rank third among game-deciding goals in a shootout scenario (since the league adopted the rule in 2005).

Throughout his career, Oshie has been actively involved in community and charitable initiatives. He has used his platform to support several Alzheimer fundraising and awareness initiatives in honour of his late father, Tim Oshie. Among the initiatives he supports include the Alzheimer’s Association’s The Longest Day Campaign, the Oshie Broomball Tournament benefitting the Alzheimer Drug Discovery Foundation, as well as charity walks and other fundraising events. He also donates a portion of proceeds from his company, Warroad Hockey Co., to Alzheimer research and youth hockey programs in Warroad, Minnesota.

In recognition of his retirement announcement and late father, Oshie was presented today with a $10,000 donation to the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation from the Washington Capitals and Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation.

In retirement, Oshie will reside in McLean, Virginia, with his wife, Lauren, and their four children, Lyla, Leni, Campbell and Lucy.