"Pathetic, weak hockey player", "Return of the king": Pens fans divided after Pittsburgh Penguins bring back P.O. Joseph in trade with Blues

By ARJUN B

Modified Dec 19, 2024 02:48 GMT

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The Pittsburgh Penguins' decision to reacquire defenseman P.O. Joseph from the St. Louis Blues in exchange for future considerations has elicited mixed reactions from fans.

Many Penguins fans welcomed back the 25-year-old defenseman, who spent the first four seasons of his NHL career in Pittsburgh before signing for the Blues last year.

One fan tweeted:

"Return of the king"

Another wrote:

"This is legit. He played very well for us. Big move with Pettersson out."

One fan analysed:

"He’s better than Matt Grezlyc but can we seriously upgrade though? MP gonna be out for a minute and probably not get resigned and we are right there for a playoff spot" on X.

However, others criticized the trade, with one tweeting:

"Pathetic , sorry , weak hockey player. What are the Pens doing ?," one wrote on X.

"Who asked for this? Guy is a bum and can't play defense to save his life," a user wrote.

"This has got to be a joke. We don’t need him!! You have perfect young defensemen in Pickering, St.Ivany and Shea. Unless you’re getting rid of Graves or Grzelcyk, I could really careless for P.O Joseph, I wasn’t impressed with him," another user wrote.

P.O. Joseph was originally drafted by the Arizona Coyotes in the first round of the 2017 NHL Draft before being traded to Pittsburgh. In 170 career games, he has recorded eight goals and 31 assists. He's signed through the 2024-25 season at an average annual salary of $950,000.

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NHL analyst's take on Penguins bringing back P.O. Joseph

The Penguins' defensive struggles have opened an unexpected door for P.O. Joseph's comeback.

With Marcus Pettersson sidelined by a nagging lower-body injury and disappointments from Matt Grzelcyk and Ryan Graves, Joseph could slot right back into the lineup, as per The Athletic's Josh Yohe.

"He’s not a great player and may never live up to the billing of being a first-round pick, but the Penguins know what they’re getting in Joseph: an undersized defenseman who sometimes struggles in his own territory," Yohe said.

"But who can skate and move the puck well, and a very popular person in the locker room during his time in Pittsburgh."

Yohe pointed out that while Joseph may never live up to his first-round draft status, his locker room presence was a bright spot during his previous stint with the team. Joseph's familiarity with the system and positive team chemistry could prove invaluable.