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| picture by zimbo.com |
I think it’s a nice touch for a hockey player that has had a rough week. Seriously, I don’t know why T.J. Oshie missed practice nor do I really care. Oshie made a mistake and paid for it by missing two games due to a suspension, manning up to his mistake he donated the money he was supposed to make to a St. Louis Blues Charity.
ST. LOUIS (AP) -- T.J. Oshie ended a two-game suspension Thursday, apologizing to his St. Louis Blues teammates, the organization and its fans for missing a practice.
Oshie was back on the ice at the team's practice facility after being disciplined by the team for missing a workout Monday in what the Blues called an unexcused absence.
"I was irresponsible. I made a mistake," Oshie said in his first public comments. "I realize that. It was my full responsibility to get here (on Monday) and get here on time."
The 24-year-old center met with Blues general manager Doug Armstrong, coach Davis Payne and his teammates Thursday morning, and will be in the lineup when the Blues host the Calgary Flames on Friday night.
"The toughest thing for me was sitting at home and watching my teammates play a game," said Oshie, who also missed 31 games this season with a broken ankle. "... This morning was the first time I've seen them and I had a smile on my face. From here on out, I'm trying to move forward."
Oshie missed Tuesday's 3-2 shootout loss at home against Minnesota and Wednesday night's 10-3 victory in Detroit.
"We're very comfortable that (Oshie) understands the severity of missing practice," Armstrong said. "He accepts his two-game absence from the team. We've moved on and T.J.'s ready to move on and we'll have him back in the lineup tomorrow.
Oshie was paid for the two games he missed, but he has decided to donate both checks, one to the Blues' 14 Fund and the other to Dream Factory of St. Louis, a pair of charities run by the franchise.
"I want to let people know I did get paid for the two games that I missed," Oshie said. "I don't think that that's right."
