Fansided

One player from each NHL team who should be on the NHL 18 cover

By David Rouben

Nov 2, 2016; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Canadiens goalie Carey Price (31) prepares to throw pucks to the crowd after the game against the Vancouver Canucks at the Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 2, 2016; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Canadiens goalie Carey Price (31) prepares to throw pucks to the crowd after the game against the Vancouver Canucks at the Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nov 5, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Capitals right wing T.J. Oshie (77) celebrates after scoring a goal on Florida Panthers goalie Roberto Luongo (1) in the third period at Verizon Center. The Capitals won 4-2. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 5, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Capitals right wing T.J. Oshie (77) celebrates after scoring a goal on Florida Panthers goalie Roberto Luongo (1) in the third period at Verizon Center. The Capitals won 4-2. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /

Washington Capitals: TJ Oshie

After an outstanding rookie season in which Alex Ovechkin won the Calder by scoring 52 goals and 106 points, EA made him the cover athlete for NHL 07. While that may have been cause for concern for a sophomore slump, he still strung together a 92-point season, and has since gone on to become one of the greatest goal-scorers in NHL history.

But because he already has a cover, he can’t be chosen for NHL 18. So why not appeal to the hearts and minds of Americans by plastering TJ Oshie on it?

Despite spending nine seasons in the NHL, Oshie’s signature moment remains the 2014 Olympics, when he took six shootout attempts against Russia and scored on four of them, including the winner. Given that USA Hockey hasn’t achieved much since the Miracle on Ice, that remains their greatest moment outside of it.

But Oshie is useful in more than just the shootout. In the NHL, he has to be, since he can’t just take every attempt. Having spent the majority of his career in St. Louis, his numbers have steadily increased, and when he arrived in Washington, he put up his highest goal tally with 26. And even though they ultimately lost that series, few will forget his hattrick in Game 1 against the Penguins, which felt like a sign of things to come.

Some people questioned how he would get along with Evgeny Kuznetsov and Alex Ovechkin after what he did to them in the Olympics, but he has taken to his surroundings extremely well.

Oshie has no shortage of talented centers to complement him in Washington, and while he played on the top line with Nicklas Backstrom and Ovechkin last year, he plays on the second line this season to balance out the scoring. TJ Oshie is an American hero, so it’s no surprise that he’s found a home in the nation’s capital.

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