What do Nashville Predators Roman Josi and David Legwand remember about their firsts? Not much

Roman Josi paused, exploring his memory's inventory.

The answer escaped the Nashville Predators captain, who had just broken David Legwand's franchise record for career assists.

"I remember my first goal," Josi said, giving it some thought after his 357th career assist. "I don't remember my first assist."

Another pause.

"Do you?" he asked.

The question was leading. The answer — Legwand — didn't remember much about Dec. 3, 2011, either.

To refresh: Josi was 21-year-old rookie, playing in his fifth NHL game. A mere tease of the four-time All-Star he is now.

The Predators were playing the Buffalo Sabres at Bridgestone Arena.

Legwand, the first player in Predators franchise history, was 10 years Josi's senior, in his 13th season. He had 790 games on his resume by then. So it's no surprise he didn't recall his 176th career goal.

"If you told me the game or who it was against I might bit (of an idea)," Legwand told The Tennessean in a recent phone interview. "I don't remember exactly."

December 3. Against Buffalo. At Bridgestone.

Nothing.

"That's pretty cool," Josi said after the answer was revealed. "He's such a legend here, done so many great things for so many years."

The answer many would expect from the player sure to go down as the best in franchise history when all is said and done with his career.

Legwand remembers plenty about Josi, though, with whom he played for a couple of seasons. He remembers the kid, barely of age at the time, asking him to go out for postgame beers.

He remembers recognizing the potential and promise Josi showed as a wide-eyed prospect. The ease with which he played the game.

Legwand name-dropped some of the defensemen in Predators history, along the way acknowledging general manager David Poile's penchant for picking prospects such as Shea Weber, Dan Hamhuis and Kevin Klein.

"Then Roman comes out of Switzerland and you're like, 'OK, OK,'" Legwand said. "You could see his first couple of camps, 'OK, this kid has got it.' He came along slowly and developed his game and learned to play the right way.

"The guy has won a Norris Trophy and is going to possibly win more. We sit here rooting for him all the time. It's exciting to watch him flourish in the moment."

Legwand, who said he still occasionally keeps in touch with Josi, sounded like a broken record when it came to talking about his records falling. Filip Forsberg is on pace this season to break Legwand's goal record of 210, by the way.

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He's perfectly fine with that.

"It happens in sports," Legwand said. "Roman is a phenomenal hockey player and a better person. Couldn't ask for more than what he's done for the franchise and the city. It's an honor to still be talked about down there."

For the record, Josi's first goal came seven days after his first assist, against the Anaheim Ducks at Bridgestone Arena.

Predators coach John Hynes wasn't there for that, of course. But he's here for what could be Josi's best season yet. He has 44 points in 44 games, including 13 goals.

That doesn't mean that he, too, doesn't fully appreciate what's in front of him.

"It's not every day someone has the opportunity to make history," Hynes said. "It's special for him. He's a special player. It's a great accomplishment for him. It's not going to stop there."

The memories, it would seem, are just continuing.

These, most likely, he will remember.

Reach Paul Skrbina at pskrbina@tennessean.com and follow him on Twitter @PaulSkrbina.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: What do Predators Josi and Legwand remember about firsts? Not much