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WARROAD, Minnesota – TJ Oshie came to Warroad as a sophomore in high school.
He moved from Everett, Washington, to pursue his hockey career where his great-uncle, Max, and first cousin, Henry Boucha, became legends.
It didn’t take long for Oshie to leave his own legacy.
He played three seasons for the Warriors, leading Warroad to a pair of state titles. He won one in his first year on town as a sophomore and helped the Warriors to an undefeated season as a senior.
Since leaving high school, his resume has become even more impressive.
He played three seasons at UND, leading the program to three NCAA Frozen Fours. He played 900 regular season games in the NHL, winning the Stanley Cup with the Washington Capitals in 2018. He participated in the Junior World Championship, the Men’s World Championship and the Olympic Games.
While Oshie is still writing chapters in his history – the 35-year-old still has three years left on his contract with the Capitals – Oshie will receive uncommon recognition this weekend at one of the places where it all started.
Oshie’s #19 is retired at Warroad.
Only three other numbers have been retired by the Warriors – Bill Christian’s No. 3, Dave Christian’s No. 10 and Boucha’s No. 16.
The ceremony will take place Saturday night at Warroad as part of Warroad’s annual Celebrity Golf Tournament.
“It’s not the reason you start playing hockey when you’re a kid, but I’m very happy to have my number up there,” Oshie said.
this week. “Moving to Warroad, my dream was just to fit in with the college players on the high school team. To see my number go up there is super special.
“Two of those yellow banners – the state title ones – those are the banners that are a bit more important to me, because obviously it was winning the state championship with my boys, my buddies. But having the n °19 up there will be pretty special.”
All four Warroad players with retired numbers had Olympic moments.
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Bill Christian was part of the 1960 USA gold medal team that won the event in Squaw Valley, California. Dave Christian was part of the 1980 USA Miracle on Ice team, which won gold in Lake Placid, NY Japan. Oshie played on the 2014 U.S. Olympic team, starring in a shootout win over Russia. His team did not win a medal.
Oshie is the only former Warrior to win the Stanley Cup. He did it in 2018 with the Capitals. Every Stanley Cup winner gets a day with the biggest prize in hockey. Oshie took him back to Warroad for an afternoon.
“It’s a really special place for me,” Oshie said of his day with the Cup. “It’s a special place to play hockey. It’s a special place for my family. I really wanted to come here and share it with the kids and Warroad.”
After winning a state championship as a sophomore in high school, Oshie was one of the most dominant players in the state as a junior and senior. He amassed 85 points as a junior and 100 as a senior.
His final point in high school was perhaps his most memorable –
he made an incredible play on a face-off to set up Aaron Marvin’s overtime winner
in the national final against Totino-Grace.
Oshie then moved to UND, where he averaged more than a point per game in his three college seasons. He led UND to the NCAA Frozen Fours in Milwaukee, St. Louis and Denver before signing a pro contract with the St. Louis Blues.
Oshie is entering his 15th season in the NHL. He’s played seven with St. Louis and has been in Washington for seven more.
Eric Hylden/Grand Forks Herald
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