This week, the hockey world at large discovered news via a Swiss-German newspaper called Blick that Roman Josi had recently been diagnosed with something called Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS).
This was fully revealed as the reason Josi missed the final quarter of the season, and this is something that will require continued treatment and management.
Per the Cleveland Clinic, "Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) is a condition that causes your heart to beat faster than normal when you transition from sitting or lying down to standing up. It’s a type of orthostatic intolerance."
That doesn't sound awful, and it is relatively common in the United States, affecting anywhere from 1 to 3 million people currently. However, the vast majority of those people aren't professional athletes. It will have complications for someone who needs to use their body at the rate that Josi does.
This leaves the Nashville Predators in a very unenviable position currently. Josi is coming off a season where his (along with the rest of the team's) offensive numbers dipped, but he played his usual big minutes.
The Predators have said up and down that Josi will be ready for training camp and the start of the season, but the writing on the wall for the end of Josi's career is now clear without reading glasses.
At 35-years-old, Josi had never been a player whose physical fitness was in question. Now, though, we're left wondering if the start #1 defenseman will make it to the end of his contract in 2028. It might be unfair, and the team may feel awkward about it, it's awkward even writing about it, but the Nashville Predators need to start preparing for life after Roman Josi.
The Nashville Predators should strongly consider going defenseman with their first draft pick in Round 1
The only part of this that is convenient is that the Predators have three first-round draft picks to play with, and can use them to grab extra high-value defensive prospects.
Now, the Predators probably can't go up to pry the first pick from the Islanders for Matthew Schaefer, but they can now trade back if they'd like. The Predators likely now need a player like Kashawn Aitcheson, Radim Mrtka, or Jackson Smith, but none of them are projected to go within the first seven or so picks. They could now, in theory, trade back with a team like the Kraken, Sabres, Ducks, or Bruins. The Bruins and Kraken both have multiple firsts next draft, and extra picks to burn.
In addition to taking a defenseman with their first pick, they'll do well to take a flyer on another defender with one of their later first-round picks. Maybe it's Cameron Reid, Logan Hensler, or Sascha Boumedienne, but the Predators shouldn't leave the 1st round without at least two future blueliners.
This goes a little bit in the face of my previous article about how to distribute the draft picks, but the change is necessary with the news. You can throw a forward in the mix and bump the goalie pick too early in round two, but the strategy is simple. Hope for the best, and prepare for the worst. Life without Roman Josi could be coming sooner rather than later.