The Nashville Predators played their 50th game of the season on Thursday night, a 6-5 shootout win over the struggling New Jersey Devils. The real significance is not in the final score, but in that the multi-point performances by both Roman Josi and Filip Forsberg helped them reach a pair of milestones.
Josi, who recorded a pair of assists in the contest has tied Sergei Zubov for 3rd place on the all-time list for most points by a European-born defensemen through a team's first 50 games of the season, with 51 points.
Only Erik Karlsson (52 in 2015-16) and Borje Salming (54 in 1976-77) have recorded more points through 50 games than Josi and Zubov. Just another feather in Josi's cap, as he is now over a point-per-game in the 2019-20 season and is making a strong case for himself in the Norris Trophy conversation.
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Forsberg, who recorded a pair of goals, including the game-tying-goal that would ultimately send this game to OT and the shootout, has moved into a tie, with former Pred Martin Erat, for 3rd on the Predators' all-time franchise goals list with 163. Only Shea Weber (166) and David Legwand (210) have scored more goals in Music City than Forsberg.
Averaging 29 goals per season from 2014-2019, if the 25-year-old Swede can maintain this pace moving forward, it will only take him about two and a half seasons to become the all-time franchise scoring leader. Not bad for a kid who was dealt to Nashville in 2012 because he didn't fit into the future plans of the Washington Capitals.
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