Welcome Matt: Pierre-Olivier Joseph worth a look for Canucks in potential trade

Oct 21 2022, 4:27 pm

sekeres and price

As we discussed Wednesday with Darren Dreger, the Canucks were looking at acquiring defencemen even before their 0-3-2 start.

Because this isn’t just an injury issue on the blue line, itā€™s a quality issue, too.

Dreger mentioned Pittsburgh Penguins defenceman Pierre-Olivier Joseph as a trade candidate and with good reason. The Penguins have defensive depth with as many as nine defencemen who can play in the NHL, and Canucks president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford has traded for Joseph once before.

That was from the Arizona Coyotes in June 2019 as part of the Phil Kessel trade. Arizona drafted Joseph 23rd overall in 2017.

It is fair to say that Joseph’s development has been slow, but that is often the case for defencemen, especially those who play his style of game.

I checked in with an Eastern Conference scout who chalked that up to hockey IQ, saying he has yet to earn trust because he relies on instincts more than reading the play. But the scout added that Joseph is exceptionally mobile and a very good puck-carrier with the size and reach that should allow him to be a better defender if his reads catch up with his play-tracking. Heā€™s a left-shot and not a power-play quarterback, but the Canucks donā€™t need that with Quinn Hughes in the fold.

Joseph has two assists in four games this year, after playing just four NHL games last year and 16 the year before. Heā€™s 23 now, so itā€™s probably do-or-die time in terms of being an NHL regular, and he may not have more than third-pair upside.

But for a Canucks team that needs defencemen, especially young defencemen who can get out of their own zone, he well be worth a look, especially if the price is right.

Matthew SekeresMatthew Sekeres

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