The Vancouver Canucks have signed defenseman Pierre-Olivier Joseph to a one-year contract worth $775,000, per a team release.
The former first-round pick (23rd overall in the 2017 NHL Draft) joins Vancouver after skating in 194 career games over five NHL seasons. Joseph spent time with both the St. Louis Blues and Pittsburgh Penguins last season, the latter reacquiring him midway through the year. In 47 games between the two teams, he recorded just three assists and finished with a minus-22 rating.
During the 2022–23 season with the Penguins—his first full NHL campaign—Joseph displayed the potential that made him a first-round pick, setting career highs in games played (75), goals (five), points (21), and plus/minus (plus-eight). However, he has been unable to replicate that level of success in the seasons since.
It’s worth noting that Jim Rutherford, now the Canucks’ president of hockey operations, was the Penguins’ GM when they brought in Joseph as part of the trade that sent Phil Kessel to the Coyotes. The deal also reunites Joseph, 26, with former teammate Marcus Pettersson. The Canucks appear set in their top four with Quinn Hughes, Filip Hronek, Tyler Myers, and Pettersson, but Joseph could compete for a role on the third pairing or, at the very least, provide the organization with a reliable depth option on the blue line.
“Pierre-Olivier has good speed and mobility and will add to our depth on the back end. His addition gives us a player with some solid NHL and pro hockey experience, he is comfortable playing both sides, and he won a world championship with Tyler Myers in 2023. We look forward to getting him here to start working with our group,” said GM Patrik Allvin.
I like PO more than any of the guys we signed yesterday.
Inconsistent but he’s had multiple stretches of playing solid top 4 minutes.