Will Nashville Predators finally get to see top defensive pairing of Roman Josi, Nic Hague play?

When defenseman Nicolas Hague arrived in Nashville in late June, General Manager Barry Trotz made it clear that they wanted him to play on the first defensive pairing with Roman Josi. 

In his six seasons with the Vegas Golden Knights, Hague had played in the bottom pairing, but believed that he was ready to step into a larger role that Nashville trusted him in. 

“A heightened role is something I feel like I’ve been ready for a while,” Hague said. “My mindset coming in here wasn’t to change anything and I don’t think the team wants me to change anything.”

Hague and Josi got some reps together as a pairing in two preseason games, then Hague got injured and missed the first eight games of the season. A game before Hague returned, Josi was injured and was put on IR. 

“It was just kind of unfortunate. He (Hague) got hurt and then as soon as he came back, I got hurt,” Josi said. 
”We were obviously planning on playing together in camp and we’re really excited for that.
It’s nice to be back with him in practice, and we were looking forward to it (playing together.”

Monday practice was the first time in weeks that the pair actually got to work together and run drills, as Josi returned to practice. Head coach Andrew Brunette said they want Josi back as soon as possible, but his return to the lineup remains unclear. 

“We want him back as soon as possible,” Brunette said on Josi’s return. “It’d be nice to get him and Hague together. We had high aspirations for Haggie coming in, and he got hurt. Right when he (Hauge) came back, Roman got hurt. Both were hurt for the first quarter of the season and that makes it tough for us.” 

Injuries and this stretch of 12 games in 20 days have been particularly hard for Hague. Joining a new team and getting injured almost immediately has made the transition difficult. He said the Predators’ two practices on Wednesday and Thursday were his first two or three real practices with the team.

We haven’t had a lot of practice time, so it’s good to get out there and get some of those touches in, those reps,” Hague said. “It’s just with our schedule. 
We haven’t been able to have those days very often.” 

In the meantime, Hague has been skating with Adam Wilsby and Nick Blankenburg on the second pairing. Nick Perbix and Brady Skjei have been bumped up to the top pairing with Josi out. In the games that Hague was out, Josi was playing with Wilsby on the top pairing. 

With both of them on the ice this week, they’ve been eager to get some reps in and get back on track with the plan set in place during the preseason.

“We’ve played two periods together in preseason, and then some training camp practices before I got hurt, and then, unfortunately, he gets hurt right when I come back,” Hague said on playing with Josi. “It’s something I’m looking forward to, I’m sure we’ll have to kind of build up some chemistry, and read off each other.” 

Both were complimentary of each other’s play in different ways. Hague said that it’s exciting to play alongside Josi after facing him for so many years. 

“He (Josi) just skates so well, he moves it (the puck) so well,” Hague said. “He’s been doing it for a long time. He thinks the game and sees the ice with the best of them.” 

Josi, who pushes the puck a little farther and takes it below the blue line, likes that Hague has been a sound defenseman who can stay back while Josi has the opportunity to push the play.

“He’s (Hague) such a big presence back there,” Josi said about Hague. “He plays really well and he’s got a great first pass too. His presence, the way he plays defensively, the way he closes on guys, frees me up.” 

As the Predators face the top team in the NHL on Saturday, the Colorado Avalanche and then turn around to face the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers, Nashville is trying to get Josi back as soon as possible to finally get this first pairing on the ice. 

“It slots everyone else in the batting order,” Brunette said on getting Josi and Hague both in the lineup. “The kids have done a good job…they’ve all had really good stretches of hockey, but they’re not Roman. When he comes back, it kind of solidifies his position where he plays against top guys.”