Roman Josi was born on June 1, 1990, in Bern, Switzerland. His parents and older brother were all athletes, so it was natural for Josi to be practicing and playing with them in his youth. He committed to growing in hockey when he was about ten years old.
His first steps into a professional career were with his hometown team of SC Bern. He started in their development program during the 2005-06 season, debuted in the National League in the 2006-07 season, and became a permanent roster member the following season.
Josi was drafted 38th overall at the 2008 NHL Entry Draft by the Nashville Predators but returned to SC Bern to continue his development as a top-tier defenseman. In the 2010 NLA playoffs, Josi led all defensemen in goals and was able to help bring SC Bern the Championship title. On May 28, 2010, Josi signed his Entry Level Contract and joined the Predators organization starting the following season.
He began his career with the Predators by playing his first season with their AHL affiliates, the Milwaukee Admirals. During the 69 games played that season, he scored six goals and 34 assists for 40 points, and another goal and six assists through 13 playoff games. He started the 2011-12 season on injury reserve and played a handful of games in the AHL before making his NHL debut, where he’s had a permanent spot since.
Alongside other legendary defensemen, Shea Weber, Hal Gill, and Ryan Ellis, Josi continued to grow into his role, improved his numbers, and earned himself a seven-year, $28 million contract that ran through to the 2019-20 season. He continued his growth and earned himself not only the alternate captaincy title but also a franchise record for most points (61) as a defenseman during the 2016 season, a trend that he would continue to break in the following seasons. His current career high is from the 2021-22 season, where he scored 23 goals and 73 assists for 96 points through 80 games.
After his 2017 Stanley Cup Finals appearance, Josi was named the captain of the Predators and helped lead the team to earn the Presidents Trophy in the 2017-18 season. The following season, Josi signed an eight-year, $72.4 million contract extension that will run through the 2027-28 season. He continued his dominance through the COVID era and earned himself the James Norris Memorial Trophy for being the best defenseman in the league in 2020. In the following years, Josi set personal and franchise records, solidifying his place as a top-tier defenseman in the league and NHL history.
Throughout his time in the NHL, Roman Josi has played in over 900 games, and scored 181 goals with 505 assists for 686 career points, so far. He has played in 91 playoff games, tallying 12 goals and 33 assists. Josi has also represented Switzerland internationally throughout his life where he has earned a silver medal in four different tournaments, including the most recent 2024 IIHF World Championship.
Outside of the game, Josi is a husband, father of two, and leader in his Nashville and Bern communities. He actively donates to important causes and volunteers his time with the Nashville Predators Foundation. In 2020, Josi became a shareholder for SC Bern to continue promoting the growth and development of Swiss players. He got to play an exhibition game against SC Bern with the Nashville Predators as part of the 2023 NHL Global Series to start off their season.
Roman Josi is a legendary defenseman not only for the Predators but for the entire league. His career will continue in the future, where he will continue setting and extending records and hopefully bring the Preds their first Stanley Cup.
