Pittsburgh Penguins rookie defenseman P.O Joseph has been named to Canada’s roster for the upcoming International Ice Hockey Federation’s (IIHF) World Championship tournament that begins later this month.
Hockey Canada announced its roster Friday via a release.
This will mark the first time the 23-year-old Joseph, a native of Laval, Quebec, has represented Canada on the international stage.
The 2022-23 campaign was Joseph’s first full season at the NHL level. Appearing in 75 games, the left-handed Joseph (6-foot-2, 185 pounds) scored 21 points (five goals, 16 assists). As the team’s only rookie to spend the entire season on the NHL roster, he was named the Penguins’ rookie of the year in April.
Joseph is the fifth member of the Penguins’ season-ending roster who is scheduled to participate in the tournament.
Forwards Nick Bonino and Drew O’Connor as well as Casey DeSmith are scheduled to suit up for the United States while forward Alex Nylander will join Sweden.
The tournament, which is being staged in Tampere, Finland and Riga, Latvia, is scheduled to begin May 12 and will last until May 28.
Note: Speaking with Finnish outlet MTV Urheilu on Tuesday, Finland general manager Jere Lehtinen indicated Penguins forward Mikael Granlund will not be participating in the upcoming IIHF World Championship tournament. Granlund helped Finland claim gold in the 2022 tournament.
