Is Oshie Truly 'Untouchable'?

When Jarmo Kekalainen and his St. Louis scouting crew found T.J. Oshie with the Sioux Falls Stampede of the USHL, they knew that they had something special under their watchful eye. They had Blues management draft him with their 24th pick in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft, and talks of the future immediately began in St. Louis. Up until his first game in October of 2008, Blues President John Davidson kept promising that Oshie would be one of the future Blues that would rock the NHL. Two seasons into his NHL career, Oshie has found himself a permanent spot in the Blues lineup. But what does he bring to this lineup that has ensured him that spot on the team?

Oshie has had some flashy goals in his short professional career, including his amazing goal on March 26, 2009 against the Vancouver Canucks that earned him “Goal of the Year,” voted by the fans on NHL.com. His two hits in back-to-back games on Columbus' Rick Nash were also memorable from last season, catapulting him into the hearts of Blues fans as the team fan favorite. But lets look at the things that really matter; statistical importance.

In two seasons, Oshie has accumulated 32 goals and 55 assists for 87 points in 133 games played. How does that compare to other players that cracked their NHL lineups in 2008-09?

1. Steven Stamkos (Tampa Bay Lightning) – Going #1 in the 2008 Entry Draft, Stamkos did not look like he should have been taken so high after one NHL season. His 23 goals and 46 points did not impress the Lightning or anyone else in the NHL. But he really turned his game on this season, being one of three players to score 50 goals or more (others being Crosby and Ovechkin), while also adding 95 points. His 141 points in 161 NHL games dwarfs Oshie's numbers; but is it really fair to compare Oshie to a first overall pick that also plays in the offensive-oriented Eastern Conference? Well lets move on then...

2. Kris Versteeg (Chicago Blackhawks) – After playing 13 games in 2007-08, Versteeg had a strong rookie campaign. His 22 goals and 31 assists ranked fourth on the Blackhawks loaded roster last season, not to mention his 12 points in the playoffs tied him for fourth. He did suffer a bit of a sophomore slump this year (20 – 24 – 44), but he still contributed well offensively on either the first or second line all season. Scoring 44 goals, 57 assists for 101 points in 169 games in a Blackhawks sweater, he edges Oshie in point production. Oshie gets the nod in flashiness though.

3. Patrik Berglund (St. Louis Blues) – Being a teammate of Oshie, Berglund stunned the NHL when he stormed out in his rookie year and produced 47 points, placing him fourth in rookie scoring with 76 games played. He took a mountainous step back this season, scoring just 13 goals and 13 assists for 26 points on the year and earning him many games sitting in the press box or playing on the fourth line. He has 73 points in 147 games in his short NHL career, but he does have experience in the Swedish Elite League which might help him bounce back next season and regain his true offensive form.

After looking at these three other two-year players in the NHL, its easy to see that Oshie has proven that he belongs on a pro-level club. But what about these thoughts that Oshie is 'untouchable' and that the Blues should never move him?

Many hockey writers and analysts suggested at the 2009 trade deadline that Chris Pronger was being shopped by the Anaheim Ducks and the top destination for the gritty defenseman was where he used to call home, St. Louis, Missouri. Reportedly, talks for the deal were halted when Ducks' GM Bob Murray asked for Oshie in the deal. Andy Strickland of HockeyBuzz.com wrote this piece shortly after the deadline:

“The easiest way to end a conversation with Blues management is to ask for Oshie who is one of the few Blues players considered untouchable.”

So the real question is: Can T.J. Oshie be considered 'untouchable'?

This word is a term that suggests that a player is such a valuable asset to his team that he cannot be traded or let go in free-agency. I was unaware that an at-best second line center could be considered in the ranks of NHL superstars.

Here is the only players that I truly consider to be untouchable in the NHL (excluding goaltenders):

Jarome Iginla (Calgary Flames)

Patrick Kane, Jonathon Toews (Chicago Blackhawks)

Pavel Datsyuk, Nicklas Lidstrom, Henrik Zetterberg (Detroit Red Wings)

Drew Doughty (Los Angeles Kings)

Ilya Kovalchuk (New Jersey Devils)

Marian Gaborik (New York Rangers)

Daniel Alfredsson (Ottawa Senators)

Jeff Carter, Mike Richards (Philadelphia Flyers)

Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin (Pittsburgh Penguins)

Dan Boyle, Dany Heatley, Joe Thornton (San Jose Sharks)

Stephen Stamkos (Tampa Bay Lightning)

Henrik Sedin (Vancouver Canucks)

Alexander Ovechkin (Washington Capitals)

When looking at this star-studded list, it is hard to fit Oshie in it. The young man has skill and knows how to use it, but he has just never been able to put up the big numbers. Even when playing with the University of North Dakota, he was not far-and-away the biggest point producer. Even when playing with the likes of current NHLers Drew Stafford, Jonathan Toews and Travis Zajac, Oshie only cracked the 50-point plateau once when playing over 40 games every year in three NCAA seasons. Even defensive forward Jay Pandolfo scored 67 points in 40 games in his senior year at Boston University, and non-flashy Mike Knuble scored over 60 points twice in his tenure with the University of Michigan.

The NHL is a different game than the NCAA, but the numbers speak to Oshie's production. He scores flashy goals from time to time, but he cannot be relied on as the go-to-guy for a professional hockey team. He will add to a team's depth chart with his quick feet, good passing and strong penalty-killing, but he simply doesn't bring enough offensive chances to be the best forward. After all, would the Edmonton Oilers consider forward Sam Gagner untouchable, despite his youth and three 40-point seasons in a row? Probably not.

The hype over Oshie is almost embarrassing in St. Louis media. On February 3, 2010, the Blues won a challenging game in Chicago vs. the Blackhawks. But the story of the game that St. Louis media bloated was when there was a rebound left in front of Hawks' goaltender Cristobal Huet and Oshie had his back to the play. He spun around and laid on his side as he got a good shot on goal while on the ice that Huet made the save on. While it was a fantastic effort, Blues' broadcaster Bernie Federko took the next game's first intermission to explain that Oshie is comparable to Capitals' all-star Alexander Ovechkin. “Ovie” once scored a very impressive goal in which he got tripped, rolled from his back and shot it into a gaping net to score one of the greatest goals in recent NHL history. Bernie explained that “Oshie is the same type of player as Ovechkin.” How is this possible? Compare the size alone (Oshie stands at 6'0” 194 lbs. and Ovechkin at 6'2” 233 lbs.), and then look at the style. Ovechkin forces his way through players by pushing the puck between defenders' legs and going around or just sweeps around them with the puck, while Oshie is better at moving the puck to a teammate then steamrolling into the zone or to the net, waiting for the pass back. The play styles are not similar at all.

Another instance occurred right before the 2010 Winter Olympic break and Blues' announcer Darren Pang was discussing the U.S. Team. He and fellow broadcaster John Kelly were debating on whether or not Oshie should have made the cut to be on Team USA. Pang made this ludicrous comment:

“Team Canada is lucky that T.J. Oshie did not get selected to Team USA. He is a world-class player that deserves credit.”

While it is sort of a mystery as to why Oshie was not on the roster, to say that he would make that drastic of a difference in the Olympic Games is laughable. I'm surprised that when NHL broadcasts resumed that Pang didn't tell fans that with Oshie, the Canadians would have gone home with silver instead of the Americans.

Oshie should be a mainstay in St. Louis, but trades should not just be passed up because of the way Blues President John Davidson and Blues media has hyped his name up. The stocky forward has proven that he is worthy of a top-six forward spot on the Blues. But if the Blues are expecting him to be the offensive force that drives them to the Stanley Cup one day, they are horribly mistaken.