The Nashville Predators’ captain, Shea Weber, has a granite grip, while his defense partner Roman Josi lends an elegant touch with just a hint of firmness. Two very different styles in the postgame handshake line. One very big problem for opponents on the ice.
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Defenseman Cam Fowler, who locked hands with Weber, Josi and the rest of the Predators after they eliminated his Anaheim Ducks in seven games on Wednesday, had this to say about the challenges of facing the tandem: “Josi plays hard and he competes, but he’s more positional, using his stick and his skating. Weber’s the big body, the bruiser, the guy that can make you pay.”
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Josi and Weber put their contrasting but complementary styles on display again Friday in Game 1 of their Western Conference semifinal series against the San Jose Sharks, a 5-2 loss. In the first round against Anaheim, Weber tied for the team lead in points, Josi finished right behind him, and both players continued to lead the Predators in ice time. They fell just short of becoming the third pair of defensemen in N.H.L. history to finish first and second on their team in scoring during the regular season.
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Josi and Weber skate together at even strength, where they make plays consistently all over the ice; on the penalty kill, where Weber’s strength and Josi’s range are on full display; and on the power play, where Josi’s mobility creates space for Weber’s booming slap shot, almost unanimously considered the hardest in the N.H.L.
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“They are pretty much our backbone,” said Nashville goalie Pekka Rinne, who is second to Weber in seniority on the roster. “They eat up a lot of minutes, and they do a great job both ways, offensively and defensively. The last two years, Roman really made a name for himself. This year, he had 60 points. Shea has been an all-star in this league for years now.”
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The marriage of Weber and Josi on the blue line was forged from a bit of calamity. The Predators and General Manager David Poile were troubled by the departure of Ryan Suter, Weber’s longtime defensive partner, who signed as a free agent with the Minnesota Wild in 2012. They experimented with different fits for Weber. An initial trial with Josi lasted just five games.
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“He was playing with Suts for a lot of years, so to play with a new partner takes some time,” Josi said. “It was my second year in the league. There were still a lot of things I could learn and do better.”
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Their reunion proved fruitful for the Predators, who this season saw the pair combine for 112 points, a league best for an actual tandem. They finished behind only San Jose’s Brent Burns and Marc Édouard Vlasic, whose 114 points were tops for two defensemen on the same team.
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Josi, a stylish Swiss player who conducts postgame interviews in multiple languages, said that Weber, a rough-and-tumble Western Canadian, had become not only a mentor to him at the rink but also one of his good friends away from it. He lauded Weber’s leadership by example in terms of his preparation, attention to detail and consistent performance.
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Weber said Josi brought a unique dimension as a partner who could carve out room for him while providing a scoring threat of his own. He also said it was a pleasure to see Josi develop over time and that their personal relationship strengthened the chemistry between them.
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“It’s a nice thing to have,” Weber said. “You get to know each other out there, and you know what each other are doing beforehand.”
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Their complementary games have raised the Predators’ sights under Coach Peter Laviolette. He took over before last season after Nashville parted ways with Barry Trotz, who had been the only coach in franchise history. Weber and Josi were both in the top 10 in average time on ice this season. The Predators’ play-by-play announcer Willie Daunic also noted on NHL.com that the quality of the opponents they matched up with was near the top of the league, that they were frequently deployed on defensive-zone face-offs and that they often played behind defensive-minded, bottom-six forwards.
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“They are always drawing a heavy assignment out there,” Laviolette said. “It’s never an easy job. They feed off of each other.”
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Facing Game 2 on Sunday, the Predators now look to advance to the conference finals for the first time. Forward Colin Wilson had a redemptive series, tying Weber with 5 points after a disappointing regular season. Wing James Neal provided a threat on offense, as did the midseason acquisition Ryan Johansen, whom the Predators received in exchange for the promising young defenseman Seth Jones. Still, they scored 14 goals in seven games, including an empty-netter, meaning they had to lean heavily on Rinne and a deep defensive corps.
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“Every time they’re out on the ice, they’re difference makers, making an impact each and every shift,” Johansen said. “Between the two of them, they have so many different assets. If we’re successful, they’re going to be two of the guys we look at to carry a lot of the load.”
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