Washington Capitals’ T.J. Oshie is out on long-term injured reserve (LTIR) as the season starts, which is a big hit for the team.
Oshie has been dealing with various injuries for a while now, and he shared his disappointment about not being able to play yet. “I remain committed to the process and am working and doing my best to regain total health,” Oshie said. “I will continue to help and support my teammates and the organization in any way I can. I greatly appreciate all of our fans’ support during this time.”
New Opportunities:
With Oshie out, there’s now room for younger players to step up. Washington needs fresh faces since it had one of the oldest rosters last season. This summer, they made some big moves by signing Pierre-Luc Dubois, Andrew Mangiapane, and Jakob Chychrun. These changes brought down their average age a bit.
Now that Oshie is sidelined indefinitely at 37 years old, prospects like Ivan Miroshnichenko might get more chances on the ice . Last year, Miroshnichenko played only 21 games but showed promise with six points despite limited opportunities. In AHL Hershey, he scored 25 points in 47 games.
Fans might think this could be good news for young players looking to make an impact.
Team chemistry will be key this season with so many new faces joining the squad. The Capitals barely made it into the playoffs last year but got swept by the New York Rangers. To do better this time around, they’ll need their young talent to blend well with experienced veterans.
Oshie’s contract going off the books due to LTIR frees up salary-cap space for Washington’s revamped roster. With both Oshie and Niklas Backstrom on LTIR, only three members from their 2018 Stanley Cup-winning team remain: Alex Ovechkin, John Carlson, and Tom Wilson.
It feels like we’re witnessing the end of an iconic era in Washington hockey history. Do you think new stars will rise?
