Predators’ Roman Josi day-to-day with lower-body injury

Credit: © Matt Kartozian

The Nashville Predators announced Thursday that Roman Josi is sidelined day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

In corresponding roster moves, defenseman Kevin Gravel has been recalled from the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals while fellow rearguard Alexandre Carrier has been placed on the injured reserve with an upper-body injury.

Through 29 appearances this season, Josi leads the Predators with 23 points counting seven goals and 16 assists. The 34-year-old Swiss-born defenseman saw just 5:32 in ice-time in Tuesday’s 4-3 loss to the Calgary Flames, leaving late in the opening frame after suffering the lower-body injury.

Despite Josi’s offensive efforts, the Predators sit at the bottom of the NHL standings, holding a 7-16-6 record and 20 points. In all, the club has failed to find the win column in its past eight outings, securing just three points for overtime losses during that stretch. Nashville returns to the ice Thursday versus the Central Division rival Dallas Stars.

The Predators are also the NHL’s least offensively productive team, having scored a league-low 64 goals on the season. Despite leading the team in scoring, Josi has also seen a downtick offensively, particularly following a dominant 2023-24 campaign when he finished second in team scoring with 85 points counting 23 goals and 62 assists coming in 82 games. This season, Josi’s minus-21 rating ranks second-worst league wide.

Per PuckPedia, Josi is under contract through the 2027-28 season and carries a $9.059-million annual average value. A second-round selection from the 2008 NHL Draft, Josi is in his 14th season with the Predators, counting 938 career appearances in which he he has registered 188 goals and 521 assists for 709 points.

Gravel, a 32-year-old journeyman rearguard, has made 20 appearances with the Admirals this season in which he has picked up one goal and four assists. He last played with the Predators in 2022-23, recording one point in 23 games.

Carrier has made 28 appearances with the Predators this season, notching one goal and six assists. The 28-year-old is under contract for the next two seasons at a $3.75-million annual average value, per PuckPedia.