Nashville Predators captain Roman Josi hasn’t played an NHL game since suffering a concussion on Feb. 25, but the good news is that his brain is alright.
The bad news is the longtime Predators star still has some obstacles to clear before he can safely return to the ice for Nashville.
In a recent interview with Swiss news publication Blick, Josi, 35, said he’s dealing with Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), a condition that typically causes someone’s heart rate to increase quickly when standing up from either sitting or lying down. Some symptoms can include exhaustion and dizziness.
“I have been afraid several times in the last few months that my brain is damaged,” Josi said to Blick in German. “I was completely exhausted even on days when I did little or nothing at home.”
Undergoing tests in Denver, the 2019-20 Norris Trophy winner had MRI tests that showed that nothing was wrong with his brain, but Josi was subsequently diagnosed with POTS.
According to Blick, doctors have acknowledged that Josi’s past concussion issues could be related to the conditions. In addition to that, the condition may also explain Josi’s unexplained fainting spells he suffered as a child, as recounted by Josi’s mother, Doris.
“As a little boy, Roman fainted several times out of nowhere," Doris Josi told Blick. "We had him examined at the time, but we didn't get a precise diagnosis. Because Roman was wearing an earring, a doctor believed the fainting spells could be the result of an intolerance to the jewelry."
Josi had since moved on from the jewelry, but all roads now point to the POTS diagnosis.
As for the future, the Swiss captain has his sights set on a return to NHL ice for the Predators and his home nation of Switzerland in the near future.
On Monday, Josi was one of six players named to Switzerland’s preliminary roster for the 2026 Winter Olympics, joining Nico Hischier, Jonas Siegenthaler, Timo Meier, Kevin Fiala and Nino Niederreiter.
“I’ve undergone intensive therapy over the past eight weeks, which also includes taking beta blockers,” Josi said. “Since then, I’ve been feeling much better. After the first week was quite a challenge due to the symptoms, the last few sessions have gone well. I've regained the belief that I'll be 100-percent fit again and can compete with Nashville and the Swiss national team next winter."
The Predators captain scored nine goals, 29 assists and 38 points in 53 games this season.
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