Roman Josi

Josi retained his status as one of the top defensemen in the NHL last year, but he dipped to 59 points in 67 contests and missed the last 15 games of the season with an upper-body injury. Assuming that injury has healed by the start of the 2023-24 campaign, he should continue to be a true No. 1 fantasy blueliner again, with clear 60-point potential as well as elite shot-blocking skills. Josi should also continue to quarterback the first power-play unit, though he could trade those duties with Tyson Barrie if the Predators need to mix things up. Josi probably won't be on the board after the fifth round in most formats, but he's likely to be worth the investment even at age 33.

Anyone lucky enough to grab Josi in the middle rounds of fantasy leagues last fall must have felt like they hit the Powerball. After all, it's exceedingly rare to ever find a defender who posts 23 goals and 96 points in a single season. Josi's breakout campaign was buoyed by a career-high 37 power-play points and 8.2 percent shooting percentage. For comparison's sake, his shooting percentages the three years prior were 5.7, 6.2, and 5.5 percent. Josi should be a top-flight fantasy option again this coming season, but the odds of him coming anywhere close to matching his production from a year prior are minuscule. Keep that in mind on draft day.

The longtime anchor of Nashville's blue line, Josi didn't match his standout 2019-20 campaign that netted him the Norris Trophy last year, but he still provided eight goals and 33 points in 48 games. His goal-scoring rate remained in line with his career norms despite finding the back of the net just once on the power play. The 31-year-old Josi will continue to log big minutes for the Predators, both at even strength and on special teams, and should once again be good for his standard double-digit goal total and 50-plus points over a full season.

Josi had his best season yet as a pro in 2019-20, setting career highs in goals (16) and assists (49) while adding 260 shots on net, 23 power-play points and 108 blocks in 69 games en route to his first Norris Trophy win. The 30-year-old Switzerland native will continue to be featured on the Predators' top pairing and first power-play unit in 2020-21, and can be counted on to produce double-digit goals, 50-plus points and 100-plus blocked shots all while posting a positive plus-minus rating with ease over the course of a full season. Josi should be considered a top-five option at his position heading into this year's fantasy drafts.

Josi was fantastic again for the Predators in 2018-19, scoring 15 goals and 56 points while posting a plus-9 rating and 42 PIM in 82 games. The 29-year-old played in all 82 contests for the first time in his career last season, and because of that, was noticeably more productive in several secondary categories, setting career highs in shots on goal (274) and blocked shots (144). Josi shouldn't have any trouble registering double-digit goals, 50-plus points, 250-plus shots on goal and a positive plus-minus rating for a third straight campaign in 2019-20, making him a fine No. 1 blue-line option for any fantasy roster.

In 2017-18, Josi rose above the 50-point plateau for the third time in four seasons with 53 points (14 goals, 39 assists) in 75 games. He also set career highs in shots on goal (253) and plus-minus (plus-24). Josi, who took over from Mike Fisher as team captain before the start of the season, also enjoyed a five-assist game on Feb. 27 (another career high), but curiously was extremely quiet in the playoffs with just four assists in 13 combined games against the Avalanche and Jets. Looking ahead, Josi remains one of the key cogs in the wheel for the Preds' high-powered offense. Given his impressive historical stats combined with a top-notch supporting cast, the 28-year-old should continue to perform as expected for fantasy owners this upcoming season. He's clearly worth an early draft pick.

After scoring 55 and then 61 points in the previous two seasons, Josi suffered something of a setback in 2016-17, falling to “just” 49 points. Although this may have been disappointing for fantasy owners who were expecting his production to remain steady, the Swiss defender’s output was probably hampered in part by the arrival of P.K. Subban, whom the Preds acquired in a straight swap for Shea Weber last offseason. In addition, there was the breakthrough of Ryan Ellis, who fell just two points shy of the 40-point mark himself. The reality is, the Predators now have one of the deepest blue lines of any team in the NHL, so Josi doesn't have to shoulder as much of the offensive load from the back end anymore. That said, he still makes for an excellent fantasy selected in 2017-18, as yet another season of 50-ish points is quite likely. Draft him with confidence.

Josi has done nothing but improve by leaps and bounds over the past three seasons. His 61 points in 81 games in 2016-17 was a career-best, catapulting him into the category of elite fantasy defensemen. In fact, only three other blueliners have scored more points than Josi (156) over the past three years – Erik Karlsson (222), Brent Burns (183) and P.K. Subban (164). Perhaps coincidentally, the Preds went out and added the aforementioned Subban in a blockbuster trade with Montreal in June, sending fellow defensive stud and former team captain Shea Weber the other way. With Subban now in the fold, the Preds boast one of the most offensively talented defensive combos in the NHL, as Josi and Subban will surely wreak havoc on opposing goaltenders this season, especially on the power play. Don’t be afraid to snap the Swiss blueliner up early in drafts this fall.

After breaking out for 40 points in 2013-14, Josi exploded for a career-high 15 goals and 55 points in 81 games last season. The 25-year-old was a stud in just about every meaningful category, as he recorded 201 shots on goal, 209 blocked shots, three power-play goals, four game-winning goals, and a plus-15 rating. Skating alongside Shea Weber at even strength and on the power play, Josi is quickly proving himself as an elite top-pairing defenseman who can dominate at both ends of the ice. That all-around excellence is reflected in the 26:28 average ice time he logged last season, illustrating that the coaching staff is comfortable using the Swiss blueliner in any situation. Altogether, Josi was just as valuable a fantasy option last season as Weber, a top-five defenseman himself for the past several years. Josi still has a little ways to go before he'll annually become considered as safe a choice in fantasy drafts as Weber, but a repeat of his 2014-15 breakout would likely change that.

Last season, in the wake of fellow blueliner Ryan Suter’s departure, Josi was promoted to the top defensive pairing alongside Shea Weber and responded with a career-best 40 points (13 goals, 27 assists) in 72 games. Josi was given much more on-ice responsibility last season and finished just behind Weber in total ice time, averaging 26:25 per game, or roughly three minutes more than the previous season (23:31). He was also a staple on the Preds’ power play, where he racked up 13 points and averaged 3:05 per game in ice time. This season, Josi’s emergence as a strong two-way defenseman should continue, helped along by the Preds’ stronger, deeper lineup. Feel free to target Josi in the middle-to-later rounds of your draft, especially in those formats with positional requirements.

Josi re-signed with the Predators in June after skating in all 48 games last season, logging an average of 23:32 of ice time on the team's first defensive pairing alongside Shea Weber. He recorded 13 assists and five goals on the year, and should remain a top-four blue line option for the Preds this season. At just 23, Josi is still learning the ropes, but by signing him to a seven-year, $28 million contract, the Preds are clearly putting a lot of faith in him. A 35 to 40 point season could be within his reach.

Josi opens the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season with some lofty expectations on him - namely, he is being tabbed by coach Barry Trotz as the guy who will take over for the recently departed Ryan Suter on the Preds' blue line this season. Trotz will be looking to Josi to skate with All-Star defenseman Shea Weber in even-strength situations, meaning Josi could see a big bump in his average ice time of just over 18 minutes per game last season. He could represent a great late-round steal in your fantasy drafts this season - adjust your picksheets accordingly.

Josi, 19, was Nashville's second-round pick (38th overall) in 2008, and helped his hometown SC Bern (Switzerland) to regular season and playoff titles last season. At 6-foot-1 and 198 pounds, he has good size and plays with a high level of confidence. He has a good shot, an accurate pass and makes smart decisions under pressure. The Preds' blue line is fairly well-stocked at the moment, but Josi is someone who could crack the lineup in another season or two.

The Swiss prospect blueliner is a capable defender with some offensive up side. Just 18-years-old, Josi has spent the last few seasons playing with the juniors in Switzerland. He posted two goals and six assist in 35 games with SC Bern last season and will likely spend another season there sharpening his skills.