Penguins defenseman P.O Joseph eager to 'give back what someone gave me before'
Perhaps there just isn’t a word-for-word way to translate the idea of fear from French to English. Or maybe it’s just his own personal way of explaining the idea of fright.
But P.O Joseph, a native of Quebec, has a unique way of describing it.
He calls it “the scaries.”
As a person of color, playing hockey can lead to the scaries when there aren’t many others that look like you.
It did for the Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman on occasion when as a kid.
“When I was younger, I was looking up to older athletes that look just like me to be able to see them doing what they did and not just having the scaries of going out and playing a sport where there’s other culture aspects to it,” Joseph said. “It’s just important for me to be there for these people and to these kids that don’t necessarily have the accessibility of playing hockey in white communities or hockey in general. I just want to give back to them.”
Joseph largely has done that throughout his tenure with the Penguins. As such, being part of the team’s lineup for Tuesday’s home game against the Winnipeg Jets in which the organization celebrated Black hockey history was profound for him.
Having grown up outside of Montreal, Joseph, 24, idolized former Canadiens defenseman P.K. Subban, a Black man who was a star for that franchise in the 2010s as well as a philanthropist who donated and raised millions of dollars for Montreal Children’s Hospital.
Given the limited choices of hockey icons who looked like him, Joseph gravitated to the charismatic Subban.
Another person Joseph tries to emulate is Willie O’Ree, the first Black player in NHL history. As a member of the Boston Bruins, O’Ree broke that barrier in 1958.
Last summer, at the NHL Awards ceremony in Nashville, Joseph got to meet the 88-year-old O’Ree, a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame, for the first time.
It was something of a chance encounter. As one of the NHL’s dignitaries, O’Ree regularly attends functions on behalf of the league. As for Joseph, he was there to present teammate Kris Letang as a nominee for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, which recognizes dedication to the sport.
Joseph dressed up for the event and wore a customized suit. The lining of his sports coat had images of Black athletes and others he idolized.
Including O’Ree.
When he learned O’Ree was present, Joseph was able to meet him for the first time and got his autograph on the inside of his sports coat.
“I ended up wearing it that day, and the fact that I was able to see him that day was super nerve-wracking just seeing him … and being able to talk to his family and being able to ask for his signature,” Joseph said. “Now, it’s all framed up in my home. It’s definitely a moment that I’m never going to forget.”
In recent years, the Penguins have staged the Willie O’Ree Academy, a camp of sorts in the summer for Black players. Joseph has served as an instructor during those functions.
“If I can give back to the next generation of hockey players, that’s what I want to do,” Joseph said. “Just be thankful for everything that the people before us did what they did. It’s just important that we keep giving the recognition to the players, the communities, to the people watching and the people that want to play.
“I’m just excited to give back what someone gave me before.”
Seth Rorabaugh is a TribLive reporter covering the Pittsburgh Penguins. A North Huntingdon native, he joined the Trib in 2019 and has covered the Penguins since 2007. He can be reached at srorabaugh@triblive.com.
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