Pittsburgh Penguins blueliner Pierre-Olivier Joseph made the opening night NHL roster due in part to salary cap constraints, but also in part to steady development through the Pittsburgh Penguins prospect pipeline.
Background
The Charlottetown Islanders took Pierre-Olivier Joseph with the 78th overall pick in the fifth round of the 2015 QMJHL draft. Joseph debuted for the team the following season, playing in 48 games and recording eight points as the youngest player on the blueline and one of only five 1999 birth year players on the team.
Eligible for the NHL draft after the 2016-17 season, Joseph finished second among Charlottetown blueliners and sixth on the team with 39 points in 62 games. Joseph ranked first among QMJHL blueliners eligible for the 2017 NHL Draft, with a 0.63 points per game average. The Arizona Coyotes selected Joseph in the first round with the 23rd overall pick in a draft–now shaping up to be a bit underwhelming outside of the top five picks.
Joseph captained Charlottetown the season after being drafted and finished second on the team with 46 points in 63 games. In the final year of QMJHL eligibility for the puckmover, Joseph started off strong with 25 points in 27 games for Charlottetown–a 0.93 points per game pace–but dropped to a 0.63 point per game average after being dealt to the Drummondville Voltigeurs and playing behind 2018 first round pick Nicolas Beaudin, finishing with 22 points in 35 games. Joseph finished eighth among all QMJHL defensemen with 47 points.
At the end of the season, just prior to joining the professional ranks, the Coyotes traded Joseph to the Pittsburgh Penguins, along with forward Alex Galchenyuk, in exchange for Phil Kessel, prospect Dane Birks and a fourth round pick.
Joseph looked promising but still a few seasons out as a rookie with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in 2019-20, recording three goals and 17 points in 52 games and debuted in the NHL the next season, scoring a goal and recording five points in 16 games. However, Joseph spent the majority of last season in the AHL, managing 10 goals and 33 points in 61 games. Joseph entered the 2023-23 season with 20 games of NHL experience and five points.
Draft Comparables
Three Before
Juuso Valimaki
16th Overall (+7), Calgary Flames
Taken seven picks before Joseph, Juuso Valimaki jumped to the professional ranks a year after being drafted, splitting time as a rookie between Calgary and the Stockton Heat in the AHL. However, Valimaki missed the entire 2019-20 season with a knee injury, and, after a slow start in 2021-22, spent the majority of the season in the AHL. Looking for a fresh start, the Finnish blueliner signed with the Arizona Coyotes for the 2022-23 season, bringing 82 games of NHL experience with three goals and 13 assists into the 2022-23 season.
Timothy Liljegren
17th Overall (+6), Toronto Maple Leafs
Considered a top 10 talent by some analysts going into the 2017 NHL draft, Timothy Liljgren immediately joined the Toronto Marlies in the AHL after being selected 17th overall–six picks before Joseph. The Swedish blueliner debuted in the NHL the next season, recording a single assist in 11 games and impressing with 30 points in 40 AHL games. Bouncing between the NHL and AHL in the shortened 2020-21 season, Liljgren appeared ready for full-time NHL duty last season after putting up a respectable 23 points in 61 games, but likely needs to continue to compete for playing time in with a crowded blueline full of veterans in Toronto. Liljgren enters 2022-23 with 74 games of NHL experience with five goals and 24 points.
Urho Vaakanainen
18th Overall (+5), Boston Bruins
Taken 18th overall by the Boston Bruins–five picks before Joseph, Uhro Vaakanainen spent another season developing in the Liiga before making the jump to North America to play for the Providence Bruins in the AHL. The Finnish puckmover appeared in five games with Boston as a rookie and put up 14 points in 54 AHL games. Vaakanainen bounced between the Liiga, the AHL and the NHL during the COVID shortened season and the NHL and AHL last season and ultimately ended up being traded in a package to the Anaheim Ducks for Hampus Lindholm. Vaakanainen hoped to make the opening night roster for the Ducks, but suffered a significant injury in the preseason. When able to return, Vaakanainen brings 45 games of NHL experience with no goals and eight assists.
Three After
Henri Jokiharju
29th Overall (-6), Chicago Blackhawks
Shaping up to be a solid value pick, the 29th overall selection–six picks after Joseph–ranks second in games played among blueliners taken in the 2017 draft and third in points behind only Cale Makar and Miro Heiskanen. After a year of development with the Portland Winterhawks in the WHL, Jokiharju split a rookie season between the NHL and AHL, recording 12 points in 38 games at the NHL level and 17 points in 30 games at the AHL level while helping Finland win a U20 World Junior Championship and a World Championship with the senior team. With a high trade value, the Blackhawks dealt Jokiharju to the Buffalo Sabres for former eighth overall pick and current Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins forward Alex Nylander. The trade appeared to be equal value for both teams before a knee injury set Nylander back while Jokiharju turned into a mainstay on the blueline in Buffalo. Jokiharju boasts 213 games of NHL experience with 10 goals and 44 assists coming into 2022-23.
Conor Timmins
32nd Overall (-9), Colorado Avalanche
Taken 32nd overall, so far injury overshadows the professional career of Conor Timmins. The OHL product missed the entire 2018-19 season with concussion issues, looked promising in 2019-20 with 27 points in 40 AHL games, and managed seven points in 31 NHL games in 2020-21. The Avalanche used Timmins as part of a trade package to acquire goaltender Darcy Kuemper, and six games into the 2021-22 season, Timmins suffered a season-ending knee injury. Timmins hopes to stay healthy and finally get on track in 2022-23 with the Coyotes after managing 39 NHL games and seven points so far.
Nicolas Hague
34th Overall (-11), Vegas Golden Knights
Taken 34th overall–11 picks after Joseph–Hague dominated the OHL a year after being drafted with 35 goals and 78 points in 67 games for the Mississauga Steelheads and continued to impress with 32 points in 75 games in the AHL the next season. Hague made the jump to the NHL in 2019-20 and remained. In 155 games with the Vegas Golden Knights, Hague boasts 11 goals and 46 assists.
Outliers
Outside of defenseman clustered around Joseph, only Mario Ferraro, the 49th overall pick coming into 2022-23 with 180 games of NHL experience and five goals and 42 points, and Jacob Bryson, taken 99th overall and entering 2022-23 with 19 points in 111 games played, appear to be emerging draft steals. So far, only eight of all defensemen taken in the 2017 NHL draft boast over 100 games of playing experience.
Final Thought
All in all, Joseph appears on track to be a decent NHL defenseman–acceptable for a late first round pick. None of the defenseman selected around Joseph appear poised to be NHL superstars. Neither a steal nor a bust, the Penguins got the most out of Phil Kessel by winning two Stanley Cups and receiving a promising blueliner with decent potential in return looks to be the right move in hindsight.