The Nashville Predators announced today that they have named Roman Josi their new captain. Josi becomes the eighth captain in the Predators history.
The Nashville Predators have named Roman Josi as their new captain today, making him the eighth captain in the organizations history. Josi has served as the assistant captain for the Predators since 2015, making him a great candidate for the ‘C’.
It’s hard to argue against this decision, no matter what angle you take on it. Josi is loved by his teammates and the front office, is an arguably elite defenseman and has past experience with a letter on his jersey. These combined make him the best man for the job.
At 27 years old, Josi has spent his entire career with the Predators organization. During that time he has proven time and time again to be a borderline elite defenseman. It’s hard to argue against that point when you see that he has racked up 239 points in 406 games as a defenseman.
The most impressive part of all this point production is that he is one of only five defenseman in the NHL to record 40-plus points in all of the last four seasons. This includes a 55-point season in 2014-15 and a 61-point season in 2015-16.
From the marketing side of things, this is also a smart move. A defenseman that the fans adore, and one that gets Norris Trophy consideration every year, is an easy one to market as the face of your franchise. And with his calm and cool demeanor, he brings a sense of poise to the Preds.
Josi will be following in the footsteps of Mike Fisher, who retired after last season. He joins company as a Predators captain with names like Fisher and Shea Weber, his former defensive partner.
While he may have big shoes to fill, Josi is undeniably up to the challenge. The offensive-minded defenseman can lead Nashville from the back end, something every organization looks for.
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As for the management, president of hockey operations/general manger David Poile said this of Josi being named captain:
"“This is the right time to name Roman the captain of our franchise,” Poile said. “Not only is he one of our best players, but he’s also become one of the top defensemen in the entire League. He’s respected by his teammates, coaches and opponents and he represents our organization and logo with the utmost class and integrity on and off the ice. I know Roman is ready to become captain and I have no doubt he will fulfill these duties with the same passion we’ve become accustomed to seeing from him day after day.”"
With Josi being an elite defenseman, the front office and fans loving him, and his past leadership experience, there is no doubt about it that he was the right decision to be named the Predators eighth captain in team history.