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Blues Trade Defenseman Back to Penguins

The St. Louis Blues are sending a young defenseman back to where he started his NHL career with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Nick Horwat

Dec 14, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; St. Louis Blues defenseman Pierre-Olivier Joseph (77) in action during the game between the Dallas Stars and the St. Louis Blues at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Dec 14, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; St. Louis Blues defenseman Pierre-Olivier Joseph (77) in action during the game between the Dallas Stars and the St. Louis Blues at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
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With the NHL holiday roster freeze right around the corner, teams like the Pittsburgh Penguins and St. Louis Blues are getting in some last-minute moves. As first reported by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the Blues are sending defenseman P.O. Joseph back to the Penguins.

In the midst of his first year with the Blues, Joseph has played 170 career games at the NHL level, with 147 coming with the Penguins. Joseph signed with the Blues as a free agent over the offseason, putting pen to paper on a one-year deal.

In 23 games with the Blues, Joseph has a pair of assists, and currently at a career-low minus-seven rating.

The full trade reads Joseph returning to the Penguins in exchange for future considerations.

The Blues recently acquired defenseman Cam Fowler from the Anaheim Ducks, essentially pushing Joseph out of the lineup. Heading back to Pittsburgh, Joseph might help solve some of the defensive issues that plague the Penguins’ blue line.

As a left-shot defenseman, Joseph has a history with the likes of Kris Letang and might push someone like the struggling Ryan Graves out of the lineup.

Joseph joined the Blues and shared a locker room with his brother Mathieu at the NHL level for the first time. Their time together was brief, but memorable for the Joseph family.

P.O. was originally drafted by the Arizona Coyotes in the first round (23rd overall) in the 2017 NHL Draft.

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Nick Horwat
NICK HORWAT

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