Roman Josi Bio
Roman Josi is a Swiss professional ice hockey defenceman and captain of the Nashville Predators of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was born on June 1, 1990, in Bern, Switzerland. Josi was drafted 38th overall by the Predators in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. He began his professional career in 2007 and has since established himself as one of the premier defensemen in the league, known for his exceptional scoring ability and leadership on the ice. As captain, Josi has led the Predators to multiple playoff appearances and has received numerous accolades, including the James Norris Memorial Trophy in 2020, recognizing him as the league’s best defenseman.
Early Life and Background
Roman Josi was born on June 1, 1990, in Bern, Switzerland, as the second son to parents Doris and Peter Josi. He grew up in an athletic household, as his mother is a former national team swimmer and his father played competitive soccer. Josi played both soccer and hockey as a youth before committing to ice hockey at the age of 10. Both his father and older brother are also involved in ice hockey; his brother Yannic competed with HC Bern Altstadt in SwissDiv3, and Peter serves on the board of directors for SC Bern. Josi is a supporter of his hometown football club, BSC Young Boys.
Path to Hockey
Growing up in Switzerland, Josi played with the local SC Bern from 2006 to 2010. He made his debut with the National League in the 2006–07 season but became a mainstay in the lineup during the 2007–08 season. In his first year of draft eligibility, Josi tallied eight points in 35 games while also representing Switzerland at two international tournaments. Leading up to the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, Josi was considered one of the top defencemen in the draft. He was eventually selected by the Nashville Predators in the second round, 38th overall. Following the draft, Josi returned to the Swiss league where he led all Swiss League junior players in points, goals, and assists. Despite being sidelined for almost four weeks during the 2009–10 season, Josi accumulated 20 points through 24 games by the end of December 2009. He eventually finished the season ranked second among Swiss blueliners in points per game despite being limited to only 26 contests. During the 2010 NLA playoffs, Josi led all defensemen and tied for fourth overall in goals as SC Bern won the Championship title.
Roman Josi Career
Early Career (2007–2010)
Josi joined the Predators’ organization for the 2010–11 season after signing a three-year entry-level contract on May 28, 2010. He participated in their Rookie and Training Camp before being assigned to their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals, for the remainder of the season. Although he missed the first seven games of the season, Josi helped the team improve to a 5–0–0–1 record by scoring his first career AHL goal in a 3–2 win over the Lake Erie Monsters in early November. He recorded 14 points in his first 35 AHL games before breaking out and maintaining a 13-game scoring streak from January 20 to February 20. His point streak was the longest by an Admiral player since Mike Santorelli maintained a 14-game streak in 2008. By February 26, Josi had collected 12 points in 11 games during February and ranked among the top 15 in AHL rookie scoring. Josi finished the regular season with six goals and 34 assists for 30 points through 69 games.
Breakthrough (2011–2015)
Josi once again participated in the Predators training camp before being placed on injured reserve with the expectation he would report to the Admirals once recovered for the 2011–12 season. Once healthy, Josi tallied four points in his first five games before being recalled to the NHL level on November 25, 2011. He subsequently played 12:20 minutes of ice time in his debut against the Detroit Red Wings. Josi later scored his first career NHL goal on December 10 to lift the team 3–2 over the Anaheim Ducks. After star defenseman and captain Shea Weber suffered an injury, Josi saw his ice time spike to an average of 23:43 for four games during his absence. Once Weber returned, Josi and fellow rookie defenseman Ryan Ellis were put on the second power-play unit, and Josi saw his ice time average out to 20 minutes per game. His play helped the Predators qualify for the 2012 playoffs as the fourth seed in the West. Josi made his playoff debut on April 11 in the first game of the opening round against the Detroit Red Wings. The Predators would defeat the fifth-seeded Red Wings in five games before being defeated in the second round in five games by the third-seeded Phoenix Coyotes. Josi finished his first playoff playing in all 10 games and being held pointless.
Notable Works and Milestones
Josi became the first Swiss player and the first player in Predators’ franchise history to win the James Norris Memorial Trophy as the league’s best defenceman in the 2019–20 season. He has also set numerous franchise records, including most points by a defenseman in Predators history.
Roman Josi Award Nominations
Throughout his career, Roman Josi has received multiple nominations for prestigious awards, including the James Norris Memorial Trophy and the Ted Lindsay Award, recognizing his outstanding performance as a defenseman in the NHL.
Roman Josi Awards Won
Roman Josi has won several awards, including the James Norris Memorial Trophy in 2020 and has been selected as an NHL All-Star in 2016, 2017, and 2022.
Roman Josi Family
Roman Josi is married to Ellie Ottaway, a model and musician. They married on June 20, 2019, and have two children together.
Personal Life
In addition to his hockey career, Roman Josi has been active in community support efforts across Tennessee, helping raise funds for various causes, including tornado relief efforts and food banks during the COVID-19 pandemic.
