Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman P.O. Joseph is looking at his slow start as a learning experience and hopes to grow moving forward in 2024. The 2023-24 season hasn’t been easy for once one of the top defensive prospects in the Pittsburgh Penguins pipeline. P.O. Joseph finally reached the NHL on a full-time basis in 2022-23 with 75 games played in the Penguins lineup, but he hasn’t had the same luck this season. Through the first 36 games of the 2023-24 NHL season, Joseph has only appeared in nine while sitting out the rest with an injury, illness, or most notable, multiple healthy scratches. “It’s been a challenging year,” Joseph said. “With the start of the season not going so well, the injury occurring. I’m just happy to be here. Learning a lot from these guys. It’s a learning experience of a season so far.” Head coach Mike Sullivan has stated on a few occasions that results matter and he’s not hesitating to pull players out of the lineup if they aren’t performing to the best of their abilities. President and general manager Kyle Dubas has even said that he’s waiting for someone to take a role on the third defensive pair and run with it. While it may not be the third pairing, Joseph is being handed a new opportunity that he needs to take full advantage of, or risk losing more than just a spot on the Penguins roster. Thanks to poor play from Ryan Graves and a long-term injury to John Ludvig, Sullivan is slotting Joseph in on the second line alongside Erik Karlsson. It might be a risk, but Sullivan and the Penguins are confident in what Joseph can bring to the table. “When P.O.’s at his best, his biggest asset is his mobility, his skating ability,” Sullivan said. “That’s something he’s done for us in the past. He can help us drive a little bit of offense.” Joseph’s appearances have come at a pretty inconsistent pace with only four games played in October, one in November, and three in November before kicking off 2024 back in the lineup. Finding a regular pace hasn’t been easy, but Joseph is looking forward to his new chance. “As much off ice and practice time you have, it’s definitely different from a game,” Joseph said. “It’s definitely a rhythm to come back into.” In his nine games this season, Joseph has averaged 13:21 of ice per night and recorded a pair of assists. The coaching staff have had Joseph working on and off the ice to improve his game and with this new opportunity arising, he’s got a chance to prove his worth. There has been legitimate competition for depth defensive roster spots in the Penguins lineup all season and the start of 2024 is just a new chapter in those battles. Make sure you bookmark Inside the Penguins [http://insidethepenguins.com/]for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns and so much more. Penguins' Matt Nieto Undergoes Knee Surgery, Will Miss Six to Eight Weeks [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/latest-news/pittsburgh-penguins-matt-nieto-knee-surgery-six-eight-weeks] Valtteri Puustinen Odd Man Out on Penguins Right Side [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/podcasts/valtteri-puustinen-odd-man-out-pittsburgh-penguins-right-side] Michael Bunting Fits Penguins Needs but Not Worth Price [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/players/michael-bunting-fits-pittsburgh-penguins-not-worth-price] Penguins' Jesse Puljujarvi to Join WBS on PTO [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/latest-news/pittsburgh-penguins-jesse-puljujarvi-wilkes-barre-scranton-pto] Penguins Prospect Impresses at World Junior Championship [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/latest-news/pittsburgh-penguins-prospect-impresses-world-junior-championship] * undefined * undefined
