The 36-year-old dealt with a lingering back issue all season, and after a double ablation, believes he can return better than ever.
ARLINGTON, V.A. -- The last couple of seasons haven't been too kind to Washington Capitals forward T.J. Oshie.
Oshie has been through the wringer, dealing with lingering back issues, a broken foot, core surgery, groin injuries and other ailments along the way. It's led to questions regarding the 36-year-old's future and career, but this summer and the upcoming campaign will be different -- and Oshie is sure of it.
After having a double ablation on his back, a five-minute procedure that uses soundwaves to heat nerve tissue and destroy the area of the nerve that sends pain signals to the brain. It provides lasting relief, and Oshie said he is already feeling a difference and can start training whenever he wants.
"I already feel light-years different... my training regimen is going to be a lot different this year," Oshie said, adding, "Typically, my training can't really begin until August, and by then, I'm just playing catch up. So a big opportunity for me to come back and look a little bit more like I did four, five years ago and to have a full season without my back setting me back."
All three of Oshie's absences this year were back-related, and he was limited to just 58 games in 2022-23, where he still impressed with 19 goals. He told The Hockey News in an exclusive interview that the pain got so intense that at times, he had trouble walking.
In December, Oshie met with surgeons, who helped him with prehab and establishing a new regimen. It led to a good stretch where Oshie was playing without pain, but mismanagement by him led to his season-ending injury against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
"The offense was rolling in, I was playing really physical," Oshie noted. "We just had a setback... we had two practices and then back-to-backs with the second one in Tampa, and I think fatigue set in; I wasn't as stable in my midsection and back tweaked out there."
Oshie also explained that not having Tom Wilson for the first part of the season and then losing Garnet Hathaway at the 2023 NHL Trade Deadline did put more pressure on him to play physically, leading to more big hits and more wear and tear on the body. However, if that's what the team needs going into next year, Oshie said he's confident he can make that happen.
"There was more of an onus for me to set an example physically. So for me, I'm going to do what I have to do to help the team win," Oshie said. "I'm always going to play physical, but whether or not I have to lead by example, I think that's the question.""There was more of an onus for me to set an example physically. So for me, I'm going to do what I have to do to help the team win," Oshie said. "I'm always going to play physical, but whether or not I have to lead by example, I think that's the question."
That extra time to train and prep for the season is something that the Warroad native is looking forward to, and something he says he hasn't experienced since 2017. That was the summer before he and the Capitals would go on to win the Stanley Cup, while Oshie also appeared in all but eight regular-season games.
For Oshie, more time to train also allows him to focus on a new regimen and routine rather than just cramming in as much as he can a couple of weeks before training camp.
"My training regimen is going to be a lot different this year, a lot more focused on core strength and conditioning... Me preparing my body for an 82-game season instead of just trying to get ready and in shape for the skate test is going to be a big difference."
Taking all of that into account, Oshie is confident that when he returns, prolonged absences and time on the injured reserve will be a thing of the past, allowing him to continue playing his high-flying style of hockey that he refuses to give up on regardless of his injury history.
"I'm going to play to 100 percent of my ability and 100 percent of my body until I'm not playing anymore," Oshie declared. "It doesn't matter if it's off the ice -- I'll do the same thing in a pickup basketball game, I'll do the same thing on the golf course, in a wrestling match with the guys. That's just who I am. I'm super competitive."