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Grand Forks Herald
T.J. Oshie selected to U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame
- Story byGrand Forks Herald
- T.J. Oshie selected to U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame
Sep. 10—GRAND FORKS — T.J. Oshie 's career resume features 16 NHL seasons, more than 1,000 regular-season games, an Olympic Games and a Stanley Cup championship.
"I don't think any of that happens," Oshie said, "without me moving to Warroad, getting ingrained in the community there, and then my move to North Dakota, where we had some good times. Those six years of my life really prepared me for the rest of my career and eventually being able to play for Team USA and win a Stanley Cup."
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Oshie was selected to the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame on Thursday.
He will be formally inducted on Nov. 30 during a ceremony in Washington, D.C.
"Being inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame definitely was not something that I really ever thought was a possibility," Oshie said. "I felt more about myself as a role guy and a guy, especially on the USA hockey team, to get some hits and score in the shootout if I was called upon."
Oshie played in 1,010 NHL regular-season games across 16 seasons for the St. Louis Blues and Washington Capitals .
He won the Stanley Cup in 2018 with the Capitals.
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Internationally, Oshie had a decorated career, suiting up for Team USA at the World Junior Championship (2006), Men's World Championship (2009, 2010, 2013) and in the Olympic Games (2014).
On Thursday, Oshie reflected on his journey to the NHL.
It started with a sophomore-year move from Everett, Wash., to Warroad, Minn., where he had a long family history.
"My ability to play hockey got a lot easier once I moved to Warroad in 10th grade," Oshie said. "I didn't hunt. I didn't fish. I was just at the rink every day. Hunting season was my favorite time, because the whole town was gone, and I almost got the rink to myself."
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Oshie led Warroad to Minnesota state high school titles as a sophomore (2003) and a senior (2005). The Warriors went undefeated his senior season.
"I can't say enough about Warroad," Oshie said. "It really shaped me through those years of being a boy and starting to become a man. My skating probably would have never gotten good enough to make it to the NHL if I didn't move there. I'm not saying it was pretty by any means, but it got the job done."
Oshie then moved on to UND, where he helped the program to three consecutive NCAA Frozen Fours (2006-08).
"I had the time of my life at North Dakota," Oshie said. "We were super spoiled there. I guess if you look at what's going on now, it wasn't quite that good, but we felt like we were on top of the world with Ralph Engelstad Arena, the program, the school and with how the fans rally around the hockey team."
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Oshie's freshman team had four players who went on to play more than 800 NHL games — Oshie, Jonathan Toews (1,149), Travis Zajac (1,037) and Drew Stafford (841).
Oshie's freshman class had six NHLers — Oshie, Toews, Taylor Chorney , Brian Lee, Joe Finley and Matt Watkins — and a Hobey Baker Award winner in Ryan Duncan.
"We had some incredible, incredible players come through the program and some absolute lifelong friends," Oshie said.
Oshie is the ninth former UND player or coach to be inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame, which is located in Eveleth, Minn.
The others are Cliff 'Fido' Purpur (Class of 1974), Cal Marvin (1982), Mike 'Lefty' Curran (1998), Dave Christian (2001), Dean Blais (2020), Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson (2022), Monique Lamoureux-Morando (2022) and Zach Parise (2025).
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Oshie also will be recognized in Grand Forks this year.
He is
scheduled to skate 'One More Shift'
on Jan. 15 before a game against St. Thomas.
Oshie is the sixth from Warroad to be selected for the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame.
The others are Henry Boucha (1995), Dave Christian (2011), Roger Christian (1989), Billy Christian (1984) and Cal Marvin (1982).
