P.O. Joseph is out and Dmitry Kulikov is in for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

PITTSBURGH - After playing with seven defensemen against the Columbus Blue Jackets, the Pittsburgh Penguins have healthy scratched P.O. Joseph in favor of Dmitry Kulikov.

The Penguins recently acquired Kulikov at the NHL’s trade deadline and are yet to get a good look at what he can bring to the team.

Head coach Mike Sullivan said following the win over the Blue Jackets that it was hard to get a good read on anyone’s performance due to the lineup and poor start.

Kulikov joined the Penguins from the Anaheim Ducks and scored 15 points (3G-12A) in 61 games to start the 2022-23 season.

In his debut with the Penguins, Kulikov did not score a point and was a minus-1.

Jospeh becomes the odd man out with the addition of the new blue liner, which is a shame given the season he’s been having.

In 59 games, Joseph has scored four goals and 13 assists for 17 points, but it’s the over the top confidence that he’s been playing with that has made him such an important piece.

Sullivan wants to see what he has with Kulikov, however, and said that the extra competition within the position should bring out the best in everyone.

Brian Dumoulin was also moved to the second pairing with Jeff Petry while Marcus Pettersson was bumped up with Kris Letang.

Make sure you bookmark Inside the Penguins for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns and so much more!

Alex Nylander Re-Assigned by Penguins to AHL

Penguins Lead Eastern Conference Bubble Power Rankings

Penguins Fan Base Among Angriest in NHL

Penguins Begin Pivotal Week for Playoff Positioning

Penguins Announce $30M Updates Coming to PPG Paints Arena

• undefined
• undefined