What 2024 free agent prize Brady Skjei said about first season with Nashville Predators
When Brady Skjei signed a seven-year deal in summer 2024 with the Nashville Predators, general manager Barry Trotz said it was part of his promise to resolve the team's defensive issues after its early exit in the Stanley Cup playoffs.
"The priority for me, No. 1, was to fix the back end," Trotz said to reporters on July 1.
But so far, that promise has been unfulfilled. The Predators' defense took a step back in 2024-25, allowing 3.34 goals per game, the 27th worst defense in the league.
Following Nashville's seventh-place finish in the Central Division, Trotz's top defensive prize of last summer shouldered some of the blame.
"It wasn't the year we were looking for," Skjei told the media on April 18. "Frustrating at times, for sure. Times that you looked at the team and saw a lot of good things. But just a little too inconsistent."
Incongruent parts on the offensive end, plus a career-worst season from goaltender Juuse Saros, were ultimately what doomed the Predators. But Skjei's struggles on defense, especially in the first half of the season, were a contributing factor.
Learning curve disrupts Brady Skjei's first year with Nashville Predators
Entering his 10th NHL season, Skjei was expected to contribute equally on defense and offense for the Predators. He had scored a career-high 47 points during the 2023-24 season with the Carolina Hurricanes, and at 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds, he could hold his own in the defensive end.
But early on, there were signs Skjei wasn't at his best. He was initially paired with captain Roman Josi, but the two were allowing too many chances in their own end, so coach Andrew Brunette split them up.
"It took me a little longer than I thought (it would) to get adjusted to the system," Skjei said. "I didn't like the way I started. The first 30-40 games, I was way too inconsistent."
Brunette's system requires defensemen to find outlets up the ice as quickly as possible — pass up the boards to the wingers or find the center slashing through the middle. For Skjei, it was a steep learning curve.
"We're trying to play as fast as possible," Skjei said. "Every team is doing that, but then there's things that slow the game down. Turnovers, execution, stuff like that. Those things got us in trouble this year . . . we had some (defensive) zone breakdowns here and there."
Eventually, he was paired with 26-year-old Nick Blankenburg, a smaller, speedier defenseman with a bit more mobility. That allowed Skjei to stay back and read the play rather than make risky passes.
Then, when Josi's season ended with a head injury in late February, Skjei and Blankenburg stayed together and ended up leading the Predators in minutes among all defensive pairings.
"I thought the last 40 (games) or so were a lot better. I got back to my game towards the end and felt a lot more comfortable in the system," Skjei said. "I'm happy with how I finished. But there's another step to take, to feel more and more comfortable."
Skjei and Blankenburg are both back for the 2025-26 season, but Brunette might try to join Skjei and Josi together again.
"That's up to the coaching staff. Me and (Blankenburg) had a good thing going there at the end, but I'm here to do whatever I can to help the team win," Skjei said. "If that's with (Josi) or whoever else, whatever it takes to win."
Alex Daugherty is the Predators beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Alex at jdaugherty@gannett.com. Follow Alex on X, the platform formerly called Twitter, @alexdaugherty1. Also check out our Predators exclusive Instagram page @tennessean_preds.