Penguins Losing Trade Value for P.O. Joseph
P.O. Joseph has seen his trade stock hit new lows as the Pittsburgh Penguins look for defenders.
PITTSBURGH – As the NHL trade chatter picks up, there have been early reports indicating that the Pittsburgh Penguins are looking to add on their blue line. Ilya Lyubuskin is a name that appears to be on the Penguins radar, but why would Kyle Dubas be thinking defenders when there is yet another surplus of blue liners in the system?
Dubas stated that he wants a defenseman that can step up and run away with a role, but no one has really done that, yet. John Ludvig has likely come the closest, but he’s on long-term injured reserve – again.
P.O. Joseph entered the 2023-24 season after finally reaching the NHL level on a full-time basis last year. At 24-years-old and in the final year of his contract, it would be safe to assume Joseph would run away as a useful trade chip.
In a normal season, that would likely be the case, but Joseph has struggled all season. Between battling injuries and healthy scratches, Joseph has spent many games away from the ice. And for the games he is playing, he’s struggled to look useful.
In 13 total games, Joseph has no goals and two assists, yet head coach Mike Sullivan speaks highly of his puck moving ability. At a minus-4 rating, a fully healthy defensive group likely doesn’t include Joseph.
Once a top defensive prospect in the Penguins system, there might not be a choice but to ship him off for little return. Joseph is likely losing his role in the organization but hasn’t played good enough hockey to warrant a big return.
Joseph is still young and might have a ton of upside left, but Dubas will have to sell a teams on that if he’s involved in trade negotiations.
Make sure you bookmark Inside the Penguins for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns and so much more.
- Subscribe to Inside the Penguins on YouTube
- Follow Inside the Penguins on Twitter: @InsidePenguins