Penguins rookie Pierre-Olivier Joseph ready for NHL debut

Pierre-Olivier Joseph tried to talk in theoreticals about making his NHL debut, but the Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman couldn’t suppress the smile that served as a dead giveaway that it’s coming soon.

With the Penguins defense corps decimated by injury, necessity could dictate that the 21-year-old Joseph is in the lineup when they host the New York Rangers on Friday night at PPG Paints Arena.

“I’m just thinking that I’m fortunate to be here. There’s a lot of players around the world that would love to be in my shoes,” Joseph said. “I’m still young. I’m still learning from these guys. Whenever the time is going to be, I’m going to be ready.”

Already down one defenseman when Mike Matheson was placed on injured reserve, Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said Thursday that Marcus Pettersson will be “week to week” and Juuso Riikola “longer term” with upper-body injuries suffered Tuesday against Washington. Chad Ruhwedel also missed practice, an excused absence for the birth of his first child, but is expected to be available against the Rangers.

Sullivan already has determined his defensive pairings but wouldn’t disclose them. Joseph, however, skated as part of the third defensive pairing in practice at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry.

After being stuck behind four left-handed shots on defense while practicing with the team’s taxi squad, Joseph now is anticipating his first NHL game could be coming very soon.

Sullivan credited the 6-foot-2, 185-pound Joseph, a former first-round pick who was acquired from Arizona in the Phil Kessel trade in June 2019, for improving multiple aspects of his game despite not playing for the past 10 months because of the coronavirus pandemic.

“P-O’s a good player. He’s improved in so many areas in the last year-plus,” Sullivan said. “He’s stronger. He’s faster. He’s a good two-way defenseman. He has good offensive instincts. He has the ability to join the rush, can make an outlet pass and sees the ice well. And because of his mobility and his reach, I think he has the ability to be a good defender. … We know he can play at this level, and he deserves a lot of credit for how far his game has come.”

Where Cody Ceci replaced Pettersson on the second pairing with John Marino, Joseph skated with veteran Kevin Czuczman on the third pairing in practice.

Joseph has spent the past few days trying to absorb as much advice as he can from Penguins veterans.

Or, in his words, get a piece from every player.

Defenseman Brian Dumoulin believes the key is for Joseph to keep it simple: If you see a play, make it. The greater challenge, Dumoulin said, is for a newcomer to keep his feet moving and use his legs as much as he can instead of waiting for the puck to come his way.

“P-O is a great player. He’s very smooth. He plays really well both ways, offense and defense, moves the puck really well and is a good skater. He’s got a great reach and a great stick. He’s a guy that fits our mold,” Dumoulin said. “I think he’s going to do well. Obviously, he’s going to be playing with a lot of excitement, potentially playing his first NHL game. We just want to communicate as a defense corps and help him out as much as we can.”

That’s not just on the defenseman.

Penguins center Sidney Crosby said the forwards need to help get the puck out of their own end as quickly as possible and not commit turnovers in the offensive end that would put a young defenseman on his heels.

“I think the biggest thing is you just want to make guys feel comfortable,” Crosby said. “Anytime you have somebody playing in their first NHL game, there’s a lot going through your mind. You want to be ready. That’s something everyone has been dreaming of for a long time. … You want them to enjoy it, and you want to get a win.”

For Joseph, who scored 17 points (three goals and 14 assists) in the AHL last season at Wilkes-Barre, it’s been a long wait since he was selected 23rd overall in the 2017 NHL Draft.

Now that his NHL debut could be coming soon, Joseph wants to prove that he’s ready for the opportunity.

“I worked a lot the last couple years to be where I am right now,” Joseph said. “It’s going to be exciting, whenever the time is going to be. I’m trying not to think about it too much and just play a sport that I grew up playing.”