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During Wednesday's clash between the Nashville Predators and the Anaheim Ducks, Predators captain Roman Josi etched his name onto an exclusive list, becoming the 21st defenseman in NHL annals to amass 800 career points.
The milestone arrived via an assist on Shane Wright's first goal as a Predator. Josi unleashed a shot from deep in the offensive zone, and Nils Höglander redirected it toward the net. Ducks goaltender Laurent Brossoit turned aside the deflection, but Wright pounced on the rebound to give Nashville a 3-1 advantage.
Josi has now appeared in 1,048 games, all with the Predators, and stands as the franchise's all-time leading scorer. In his 16th season, he ranks second on the team in points with 21, comprising two goals and 19 assists.
Among Swiss-born players, Josi holds the NHL record for career points, with former Predators forward Kevin Fiala a distant second at 528. Josi surpassed Mark Streit in 2021 to claim the distinction as the highest-scoring Swiss-born player in league history.
Nashville originally selected Josi 38th overall in the 2008 NHL Draft, a second-round pick from SC Bern in Switzerland, after trading up to secure his rights. He made his NHL debut in 2011 and has since evolved into one of the league's premier offensive defensemen.
Prior to the 2017-18 season, Josi was named the seventh captain in franchise history, succeeding Mike Fisher. That same year, he guided Nashville to its first Presidents' Trophy and a berth in the Stanley Cup Final.
In 2020, Josi became the first Predator to capture the Norris Trophy and the first Swiss-born player to win a major NHL award, thanks to a 65-point campaign in 69 games. He has also earned NHL First All-Star Team honors in 2020, 2022, and 2024.
Key Analysis
Josi's achievement places him in rarefied air among hockey's greatest defensemen. The all-time points list for defensemen is led by Ray Bourque (1,579), followed by Paul Coffey (1,531), Al MacInnis (1,274), Phil Housley (1,232), and Larry Murphy (1,217). Other legends include Nicklas Lidstrom (1,142), Denis Potvin (1,052), Brian Leetch (1,028), and Bobby Orr (915). Josi's 800 points position him alongside contemporaries like Victor Hedman (817) and Kris Letang (815), underscoring his sustained excellence.
Within the Predators organization, Josi's point total dwarfs the competition: Shea Weber ranks second with 443, followed by Kimmo Timonen (301), Ryan Ellis (270), and Mattias Ekholm (268). This monumental gap highlights Josi's unparalleled contribution to the franchise.
As Josi continues to climb the all-time rankings, his legacy as one of the most productive defensemen of his era—and the greatest Swiss-born player ever—is firmly cemented.