On today's Locked On Predators Podcast, we take a closer look at Nashville Predators defenseman Roman Josi's season so far under new head coach Andrew Brunette playing a new system. On Monday the Nashville Predators dropped a game against the Vegas Golden Knights, a team the Predators are chasing to try and stay in the playoff conversation in the Western Conference. During the game, local sport radio host Jared Stillman tweeted this out: While the Predators lost to the Golden Knights 4-1 in that game and are currently vying for a chance to make the playoffs, the tweet generated plenty of the desired attention and got Nashville talking about the season Roman Josi is having under new head coach Andrew Brunette. Josi has been the Predators leading points scorer from the 2019-2020 season until the 2022-2023 season. Currently he is third on the team in points behind Filip Forsberg and Ryan O'Reilly, but Josi is on pace for his second best points and assists totals behind his career high season in 2021-2022. Among defensemen in the entire league, Josi is sixth in points. Fans are used to seeing Josi be the team's leading scorer, but under Andrew Brunette the Predators are playing a more offensively minded style of hockey. The top line of Forsberg, O'Reilly, and Gustav Nyquist are generating a lot of Nashville's offense. Good play by a top line doesn't negate good play by an offensive defenseman. True, Josi's role has changed under Brunette, but his individual execution offensively hasn't taken a dramatic drop. Jan 15, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Nashville Predators defenseman Roman Josi (59) warms up before a game against the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjAzNjk2NDEwNTM1NzMzMTM4/usatsi_22300291.jpg] Jan 15, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Nashville Predators defenseman Roman Josi (59) warms up before a game against the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports Defensively, it's fair to say that the Predators have struggled at times this season. Luke Schenn missed over six weeks with injury to start the season. Dante Fabbro was a healthy scratch for several games before coming back in the lineup to partner with Josi. The defense is playing differently than they did in previous seasons, and the defense has had to make adjustments. While Josi may not be on pace to surpass his 2021-2022 season, there aren't any metrics that support the idea that his season is straight up bad. While his game may look different by the eye test, in this case "different" doesn't equate to "sh*t".
