TJ Oshie flew up to Bristol, Connecticut on Tuesday to serve as a hockey analyst for ESPN.
The Washington Capitals forward joined host Steve Levy and fellow hockey legends Mark Messier and PK Subban for ESPN’s telecast of Game 4 of the Western Conference Final between the Edmonton Oilers and Dallas Stars.
Wearing a black suit with red pocket square and brown dress shoes, Oshie shared his insights from his playing career and even grabbed a Bauer hockey stick during the first intermission to break down Leon Draisaitl’s first-period goal.
“We know they run this play,” Subban said as the two players looked at a replay. “Osh, how many times have you seen Draisaitl getting his pants pulled down right there for the one timer?”
“Basically, it’s the Draisaitl office,” Oshie replied. “It’s the Ovi office on the other side.”
Oshie even helped interview Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins before the game.
“One of the favorite parts of the game is being in the locker room,” Oshie said. “I’m curious, has the vibe in the room changed from this point last year to this year?”
“Um, I think it’s pretty similar,” Nugent-Hopkins replied. “We try to keep it pretty light in the room. Obviously, when we need to, you got to bear down and get intense. But for the most part, we’ve got a lot of guys that joke around and try to keep it light.”
Oshie’s debut got rave reviews throughout the night, especially locally.
“Great seeing @tjoshie7 on the @espn broadcast tonight!” wrote Craig Laughlin on his Instagram Story. “He’s a natural!”
“Right side!! Looking good @tjoshie7,” Tom Wilson wrote.
“We’ve got to bring him in more,” Subban said during the telecast. “The Rookie. I love it, good job.”
Oshie is the epitome of a made-for-TV athlete. He’s articulate, he’s entertaining, he’s insightful, he’s popular, and he’s handsome. He checks all the boxes. One wonders if this could be the next career for the Capitals’ 2018 Stanley Cup champion — well, that is, if he can put the golf clubs down long enough.
“Thank you @espn for having me,” Oshie wrote on his Instagram Story. “First class all the way! Amazing experience!”
