Oshie Skates With Capitals For First Time In Over Month; Schultz Returns

The Washington Capitals got some great news after a weekend off, as they saw a familiar face and one of their biggest assets return for the first time in a while as T.J. Oshie took the ice at MedStar Capitals Iceplex for practice.

This marks the first time that Oshie has skated with the Capitals in over a month. Oshie last played on Jan. 15 against the Islanders, but only skated 1:46 minutes and left the game early in the first with an upper-body injury. He had been around the facility and also got individual work in on the ice, but hadn’t skated with the team. Oshie had been listed as week-to-week.

Oshie did skate with Anthony Mantha, who is recovering from shoulder surgery and working his way back to the ice, while Washington was on a two-game road trip last week.

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The 2021-22 campaign hasn’t been the kindest to Oshie, who has dealt with a handful of stints on the IR amid upper-body injuries and lower-body injuries, as well as bouts with COVID-19 and the flu.

Oshie’s adversity has limited him to just 18 games this season. Still, he has made the most of his time in the lineup, picking up five goals and eight assists.

Getting the 34-year-old back in the lineup will be huge for the Capitals. They have seen a rough stretch of inconsistency over the last month, trading wins and losses. Their power play and secondary scoring also need a spark, and the team needs that energy and leadership that Oshie usually brings. Not only that but No. 77 also acts as a mentor to the younger players in the lineup.

Right now with Oshie out, Joe Snively has been helping fill that void and has stepped up as one of the team’s best rookies through just nine NHL games with four goals and three assists.

Washington also saw another positive as Justin Schultz and Vitek Vanecek skated. Schultz had been day-to-day with an upper-body injury. Vanecek, meanwhile, is still recovering following an upper-body injury against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Feb. 1.