Instant Analysis: Preds Sign Captain Roman Josi to Eight-Year Contract

The captain isn't going anywhere.
Predators defenseman Roman Josi signed an eight-year, $72.472 million contract on Tuesday morning - a $9.059 yearly total - to keep him in Nashville through the 2027-28 season.
Originally drafted by Nashville in 2008, the 29-year-old Josi has developed into one of the NHL's best blueliners - and now, the chances he'll be in Preds Gold for his entire career have grown exponentially.

The two-time NHL All-Star is currently tied for third in team history in plus-minus (+52), fourth in points (361) and assists (263) and fifth in games played (574). He is second in goals, assists and points among franchise defensemen and holds the Preds record for most points by a blueliner in a single season with 61 (14g-47a) in 2015-16.
Josi has also starred in the postseason, appearing in 71 career Stanley Cup Playoff games with the Preds, which is tied for the most by a skater in team history. His 32 postseason points (10g-22a) are the third-most in the club record books and are the most by a defenseman.
And for just as good as he is on the ice, he's an even better person off of it.
Pekka Rinne, Ryan Johansen, Ryan Ellis, Matt Duchene - the list of players who want to be here in Nashville goes on and on, and Josi is the latest to reaffirm his commitment to hockey in Music City.
Here is some instant analysis on a monumental day in Predators franchise history.

The Defenseman:
Simply put, Josi might just be the best defenseman in the League.
Yes, he's still searching for a Norris Trophy to recognize that fact, but if he continues on his current trajectory, it may not be long before Josi adds that accolade to his collection.
Josi is off to the best start of his nine-season NHL career, posting 13 points (5g-8a) in his first 11 contests of the 2019-20 campaign. Josi has joined his teammate and d-partner, Ryan Ellis, in becoming one of two defensemen in franchise history to record 13 points in the team's first 11 games of a season. The native of Bern, Switzerland, currently sits tied for second in goals (5) and points (13) among League blueliners.
Josi's career-high of 61 points came during the 2015-16 season, and over his past five seasons, he's recorded at least 49 points - and that lowest total came in an injury-shortened campaign. He is the first defenseman in Predators history to record four seasons with at least 50 points.
He's also relied upon in all situations, and with his average of 25:10 of ice time per game, Josi was one of just three defensemen to record at least 15 goals, 55 points and 25 minutes of ice time last season.
He tied his career-high of 15 goals in 2018-19, and at his current pace, he may just obliterate those offensive totals - and that's not to mention his ability to shutdown the opposition in his own end before leading the rush up ice to create chances in the offensive zone.

The Captain:
Now in his third season as the man with the "C" on his jersey, Josi has learned from some of the best leaders the game has ever seen in former Preds Captains Shea Weber and Mike Fisher.
He's not the loudest guy in the room, but Josi has stated he's become comfortable in his role, and if something needs to be said, he's not afraid to stand up. Josi also leads by example, something every captain needs to do. He's one of the hardest workers on the ice and in the gym, paving the way for Nashville's younger players to do the same.
Josi was named captain for a reason - his teammates, coaches and management believe in him, and they'll be following him for a long time to come.

The Humanitarian:
Not only does Josi lead the way on the ice, but he's one of the most active members of the Preds in the Nashville community.
Josi works closely with Best Buddies of Middle Tennessee, part of the world's largest organization dedicated to ending the social, physical and economic isolation of the 200 million people around the globe with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
His passion for helping to provide a better life for all those he encounters is infectious, and it has inspired teammates and Predators staff to become further involved in the organization.
The captain of a hockey club fulfills many roles, and no one is better in that position than No. 59.