When the Washington Capitals won the Stanley Cup in 2018 against the Vegas Golden Knights, there were many players who helped the franchise accomplish that achievement. Braden Holtby was dominant in the crease as the starting goalie; and the defense held down the fort with players like John Carlson, Dmitry Orlov, and Matt Niskanen.
There were also a lot of standouts on the offense as well. Captain Alex Ovechkin registered 15 goals and 12 assists for 27 points in 24 games on that 2018 run. Evgeny Kuznetsov led the entire roster in points that postseason with 32 points in 24 games (12 goals and 20 assists). Then, there was TJ Oshie. The veteran winger, who had accrued 18 goals and 29 assists for 47 points in 74 games in the 2017-18 regular season, also had a solid postseason with eight goals and 13 assists in 24 games. He was a valuable point producer on a team that needed as much as they could get from everyone in the lineup.
It took a while for Washington to get over the hump over the previous seasons, but former Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan made one of his best moves with the team when he received Oshie from the St. Louis Blues. Oshie was one of the players who helped get the Capitals to the next level so that they could win that Cup in 2018.
The Official Trade and Helping Washington’s Offense
MacLellan made the deal with the Blues during the 2015 offseason. He sent winger Troy Brouwer, goalie Pheonix Copley, and a 2016 third-round pick to St. Louis for Oshie. He was a Blue his entire career up to that point in time. Drafted by St. Louis in the first round (26th overall) of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft, Oshie spent parts of seven seasons in the city known as the Gateway to the West. He posted the following stats while he donned the Blue Note:
- 2008-09: 14 goals and 25 assists for 39 points in 57 games
- 2009-10: 18 goals and 30 assists for 48 points in 76 games
- 2010-11: 12 goals and 22 assists for 34 points in 49 games
- 2011-12: 19 goals and 35 assists for 54 points in 80 games
- 2012-13: seven goals and 13 assists for 20 points in 30 games
- 2013-14: 21 goals and 39 assists for 60 points in 79 games
- 2014-15: 19 goals and 36 assists for 55 points in 72 games
MacLellan added another significant weapon to the offense, and it took no time at all for Oshie to make his impact in the Capitals’ lineup. His debut season in D.C. saw him tally 26 goals and 25 assists for 51 points in 80 games. He finished the 2015-16 campaign being ranked fifth on the squad in scoring. Kuznetsov led the way with 77 points, followed by Ovechkin with 71, then Nicklas Backstrom with 70, and the last player ahead of Oshie was Justin Williams with 52 points. If those stats from Oshie were not enough to impress at the time, he totaled his best season in goals the following campaign in 2016-17, when he reached the 30-goal mark and finished with 33 goals. He also provided 23 assists to have 56 points.
The Stanley Cup team in 2018 was the best part of Oshie’s tenure in D.C. for obvious reasons. The offensive load did not have to just come from Ovechkin, although being close to passing Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goal record certainly means he was capable of doing such a thing. Ovechkin also had Oshie, Kuznetsov, Backstrom, and other depth players who could also provide complementary scoring like Lars Eller and Tom Wilson. Oshie did his job very well on that championship run, and he became a fan favorite among the fans for all of his contributions while donning Washington’s sweater.
Where Things Currently Stand with Oshie
Oshie has played for the Capitals up until this past season. During his time in D.C., he has played in a total of 567 games and accrued 385 points (192 goals and 193 assists). Specifically in 2023-24, he suited up for 52 games and collected 12 goals and 13 assists for 25 points in that span. He currently has one more year left on his current contract with Washington. However, the 37-year-old has been dealing with back issues. He wants to return to playing for the Capitals, but the back issues are something that he is dealing with and will be keeping him out of the lineup when the 2024-25 campaign begins.
Time will tell if Oshie is able to play for the Capitals again. However, at this point, he is already one of the best American players to ever don the Washington jersey. He will forever be a pivotal talent who helped the franchise claim their first championship since they joined the NHL during the 1974-75 season. Hopefully, he is able to recover from the back issues and that he will be able to hang up his skates on his own terms. Even at this point, though, Oshie is arguably the best move that MacLellan ever made during his tenure as Capitals GM, and he is one of the best to ever lace up his skates for the organization. Without his contributions, maybe the Capitals still do not have their first Stanley Cup championship.
