NHL Rumors: Penguins Shopping Young Defenseman

According to Josh Yohe of The Athletic, the Pittsburgh Penguins are likely to trade Pierre-Olivier Joseph before the deadline passes.

If Pittsburgh is hoping to make a notable upgrade to their current roster, Joseph is the prospect most likely to be dealt. The 2017 first-round pick is currently aiming to cement himself a permanent spot on Pittsburgh's roster. He received a call-up due to Mike Matheson's week-to-week injury, so he will have a chance to help his case. Yet, once the former returns, he likely will be out of their top six again.

Joseph has been having a very strong season with the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins. In 40 games, he has eight goals to go along with 20 assists. The potential to be a solid offensive defenseman at the NHL level is there. Due to this, if the Penguins make a big splash, he will likely be the notable prospect heading the other way.

In 20 career games with the Penguins, Joseph has one goal, four assists, and a minus-1 rating. It will be interesting to see if he's moved from here.