The Pittsburgh Penguins have reacquired defenseman Pierre-Olivier Joseph from the St. Louis Blues for future considerations.
The trade comes on the heels of an unfortunate injury to Marcus Pettersson, who is expected to miss significant time after suffering a lower-body injury earlier this week.
Joseph, 25, initially signed with the Blues as a free agent on July 3, 2024, to fulfill a dream of playing alongside his brother, Mathieu. However, he’s now headed back to Pittsburgh, where he played for the four seasons.
His return gives the Penguins a versatile and reliable defenseman who can immediately help fill the void left by Marcus Pettersson’s injury. Joseph’s familiarity with head coach Mike Sullivan’s system should allow him to seamlessly reintegrate into the lineup and make an impact right away.
During his previous stint with the Penguins, Joseph demonstrated his skating ability, solid puck-moving skills, and some offensive upside. In 80 games last season, he recorded five goals and 16 assists for 21 points, proving to be a dependable two-way contributor.
The Blues’ decision to move on from Joseph likely stemmed from their acquisition of Cam Fowler from the Anaheim Ducks this past weekend. With Fowler in the fold, Joseph found himself as the odd man out in St. Louis. The trade now gives him an opportunity to secure regular ice time in Pittsburgh, at least in the short term.
Unfortunately for the Joseph brothers, their hopes of playing together in the upcoming 2025 Winter Classic between the Blues and Blackhawks will no longer come to fruition, adding a bittersweet note to the move.
