Is it October yet?
Unfortunately, no, but we're here to help pass the time. From Aug. 8 to Sept. 1, The Hockey News Nashville Predators will be counting down 24 players in 24 days, profiling every current or potentially rostered player.
Today's player profile is defenseman Brady Skjei.
24 Nashville Predators in 24 days series
As an NHL prospect
From Lakeville, Minnesota, Skjei played his freshman and sophomore years at Lakeville North High School before playing for the United States National Team Developmental Program for two years.
He split time between the USNTDP's USHL team and developmental teams. With the U17 squad, during the 2010-11 season, Skjei had 19 points in 55 games. With the USHL team, Skjei scored six points in 36 games.
He also won a silver medal at the 2011 U17 World Hockey Challenge, scoring three points in five games.
In his final year with the program, Skjei played 24 games with the USHL team, scoring 12 points. With the U18 team, he had 23 points in 60 games. At the 2012 IIHF U18 World Championship, Skjei scored one point in six games and won a gold medal.
In the offseason, Skjei declared for the 2012 NHL Draft and was selected 28th overall by the New York Rangers.
Instead of making the jump up to the NHL, Skjei committed to the University of Minnesota and played there for three seasons.
He played 109 games with the Golden Gophers, scoring 27 points. Skjei also represented the United States at the 2014 IIHF World Junior Championship, scoring one point in five games as the Americans finished in fifth place.
Professional career
Skjei joined the Hartford Wolfpack at the end of their 2014-15 season, playing eight regular-season games. In 15 playoff games, he had three points as the Wolfpack was swept by the Manchester Monarchs in the Eastern Conference Finals.
He'd return to Hartford for the 2015-16 season but begin to split his time between New York. Skjei played 68 games with the Wolfpack, scoring 28 points and played seven regular-season games with the Rangers.
Skjei also played five games in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, scoring two points.
The 2016-17 season marked Skjei's full-time arrival with the Rangers, a tenure that lasted until 2020. In a four-and-a-half-season stretch, Skjei played in 300 games, scoring 112 points. During the 2018 season, Skjei signed a six-year, $31.5 million contract.
As the Rangers began to slump, Skjei was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes during the 2019-20 season for a 2020 first-round pick. The Hurricanes took on the five-year contract of Skjei.
Skjei played four and a half seasons with the Hurricanes, playing in 302 games and scoring 135 points. He had the best season of his career during the 2023-24 campaign, where he scored 47 points in 80 games.
In the playoffs, Skjei played in 59 games and scored 18 points.
Going into free agency after the strong 2023-24 season, Skjei emerged as a top free agent. The Nashville Predators eventually signed him to a seven-year, $49 million contract.
His numbers dipped in his first season as a Predator, scoring 33 points in 82 games and he missed the playoffs for the first time since 2019.
Skjei is entering the second year of his seven year contract.
What role will he play this season?
This is an important season for Skjei in silencing a lot of doubt.
His contract has come under scrutiny in the offseason, with the claims being that Skjei is not performing to the contract's worth and that the Predators have essentially locked themselves into a deal with an aging player.
On paper, with Skjei's contract expiring when he'll be 38 years old and is already showing statistical decline, it doesn't look good. However, nearly every player saw their numbers drop last season as the Predators were one of the worst teams in the league.
While Skjei underperformed, he was one of the bright spots on the roster and one of two defensemen that was able to contribute offensively. Skjei and Roman Josi combined for 71 points last season, and Josi had only five more points than Skjei.
Pressure is high for Skjei to perform and be the player that the Predators signed a year ago. Adding pieces like Nick Perbix and Nicolas Hague could help, but the Predators' defense still very much relies on Skjei and Josi.
Skjei is also competing for a spot in the Olympics with Team USA, so the door is wide open for him to have another career season. It all depends on whether he will meet the challenge.