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The three NHL defensemen who were chosen as finalists for the 2023-24 Norris Trophy were the Vancouver Canucks’ Quinn Hughes, the Colorado Avalanche’s Cale Makar, and the Nashville Predators’ Roman Josi. It was a close call and any of the defenders were deserving to win that trophy for their accomplishments. In the end, Hughes took home the Norris as the first-ever Canucks player to win the award.
For Josi, it would have been his second Norris Trophy win, had he gotten the honor instead of Hughes. He won his first Norris for the 2019-20 season, when he totaled 16 goals and 49 assists for 65 points in 69 games. Additionally, during the postseason, he accrued four assists in four games. With as many great defensemen as there are in the league, can Josi win the Norris next season?
Offense Should Help Point Production
As much as the Norris Trophy is about the best defenseman in the NHL per season, being able to score points offensively plays a significant role in whether someone gets the votes for it. As great as Josi is defensively, he knows how to tally offensive production too. Throughout his entire career in Nashville, Josi has become one of the best point producers for the club. He learned from some of the best, such as former Predators captain and 2024 Hockey Hall of Fame blueliner Shea Weber and longtime defender Ryan Suter.
In his 13 campaigns with the Predators so far, Josi accrued the following stats:
Last season, Josi’s 85 points were ranked third in defensemen scoring in the league. Only Hughes (92 points) and Makar (90) had more than him.
Looking ahead at 2024-25, Josi will be playing with some new weapons that could boost his point totals. Fellow member of the 2008 NHL Draft class Steven Stamkos joined the Predators on a four-year deal worth $32 million. Nashville general manager (GM) Barry Trotz also locked up former Vegas Golden Knights winger Jonathan Marchessault to a five-year contract worth $27.5 million. Both stars have proven that they still can produce solid stats in the NHL. Last season for the Tampa Bay Lightning, Stamkos scored 40 goals and tallied 41 assists for 81 points in 79 games. With the Golden Knights, Marchessault notched 42 goals and 27 assists for 69 points in 82 games. Josi will get some crucial ice time with one or both of these new additions to the club, especially if they are all on the power play. Head coach Andrew Brunette will be able to test some options out with everyone in the lineup.
If Josi gets to play most of the 2024-25 campaign with Stamkos and Marchessault, there is a good chance that his point totals from last season will jump up. He already is capable of almost scoring 100 points without playing on the same team as talents like Stamkos and Marchessault. They can make his stats look even better if they are all out there at the same time.
It will also be interesting to see how the pairings look for Nashville. Josi will share the blue line with recent free agent addition Brady Skjei; as well as Dante Fabbro , Luke Schenn, Jeremy Lauzon, and Alexandre Carrier. He will be set up for scoring opportunities from his defensive partner as well, whoever Brunette decides to pair him with.
Overall, I expect Josi will be in the Norris discussion again during the 2024-25 campaign. He could very well be nominated again as a finalist. Whether or not he wins will depend on the season and how the stat sheet goes for him. No matter what happens though, he is one of the best defenders in the league, and he should have a stellar season with the Predators either way.
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