If hockey fans don’t know much about the Ottawa Senators right-winger Mathieu Joseph, it’s not much of a surprise. He hasn’t been on many people’s radars. That is, until the start of this season when his name was first mentioned in trade rumors and then when he started to produce on the ice. He’s having his best season’s start — ever.
Who Is the Senators’ Right-Winger Mathieu Joseph?
Joseph was born on February 9, 1997, in Laval, Quebec. That makes him 26 years old. Thus far in his NHL hockey journey, Joseph has had an interesting trip. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the fourth round of the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. However, early on, Joseph didn’t make much of an impact.
He played junior hockey for the Saint John Sea Dogs in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). During his junior career, he steadily evolved from a modest 11-point season to a a strong final season in the QMJHL. In his senior year, he put up an impressive 80 points, which included 36 goals. That, effectively, caught the attention of the Lightning.
After four seasons with the Sea Dogs, he moved to the American Hockey League (AHL) Syracuse Crunch for the 2017-18 season.
Joseph Makes His NHL Debut in 2018-19
The turning point in Joseph’s hockey career came when he made his NHL debut with the Lightning in the 2018-19 season. Over the following seasons, he played over 100 NHL games, but he really never showed much of a scoring touch. He averaged just over seven goals a season in his first six NHL seasons. In those six seasons, he totaled only 44 goals and 56 assists.
However, his career took an unexpected jump when he was traded on March 20, 2022, from the Lightning with fourth round pick in the 2024 draft to the Senators for forward Nick Paul. In only 11 games to end that season, Joseph showed his potential by putting up 12 points.
But that scoring prowess didn’t last. In the 2022-23 season, in 56 games he scored only three goals and added 15 assists (for 18 points).
This Season Something Has Changed – So Far – for Joseph
Something’s happened this season. Suddenly, Joseph has scored as many goals in his first six games than he did all of last season. In fact, he’s a point-a-game player with six points in six games with the Senators. Now the question is, can he keep this production up?
Joseph started the season with a strong game against the Buffalo Sabres. In that game, he scored a goal and added an assist. Then against the Washington Capitals, he registered an assist and ended the game with a plus-2 rating. Finally, against his former Tampa Bay team, Joseph scored his second goal of the season to match his total from the previous season.
What Might Be Next?
Can Joseph’s resurgence this season continue? He is capable of strong performances, which are in contrast to his scoring struggles of the past. Last season’s mere 18 points are in the rear view mirror. Looking forward to this season, can he shape a turnaround?
If he can, Joseph can play a key role in the Senators’ quest for the postseason. He’s a player to watch as the season progresses. I know I will keep a close eye on him as this season moves forward.
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