Players like Mathieu Joseph aren't first liners but they will win you Stanley Cups. No, not because they score or even put up a lot of points. Instead, their hard-hitting mentality and insistence on doing all the dirty work to make the high-profile players around them look better is the only job they need.
Joseph more than did this last season across 60 regular season games when he gave the Blues just 14 points and four goals but landed 121 body checks. If he were around for all 82 games, he'd have dished out roughly 165 bone-crushing blows.
With the Blues looking like a better hockey team going into the season, expect fierce competition. But players like Joseph always got a spot on the fourth line. And if the Blues can add two more forwards with that hitter's mentality, then guess what? You're gonna see a fourth line that nobody wants to play.
Mathieu Joseph would have a fine role if he played 11-12 minutes a night
Give him 11-12 minutes, and between two and three body checks per game. That's a high-energy player opponents, especially those who avoid contact, won't be keen to deal with. But do you know what else I like about Joseph? He's versatile.
Harken to his final season in Ottawa, when he averaged over 16 minutes a game across 72 contests. He put up 35 points and 11 goals that year, which isn't bad for a forward known more for his defense. Speaking of defense, 105 hits and 69 takeaways further drove home his aggressive nature, making him a serviceable player in all three zones.
Mathieu Joseph can help the St. Louis Blues win in so many ways
At his floor, Joseph should be good to log fourth-line, defense-first minutes. But if injuries struck the Blues? I wouldn't be against giving him between 13 and 15 minutes a contest, where he can show off his offensive prowess and get involved more when the Blues have the puck.
Here's another thing I like about Joseph: If the Blues stay healthy and he's still on the fourth line, he's someone capable of putting up points in a depth role. That might be underrated, but if also means opponents can't get caught sleeping when the puck's on Joseph's stick.
That makes him a sneaky good asset on the lower lines, and one that'll turn things up a notch if and when the Blues get back to the postseason. He's someone you want in your lineup when the stakes rise.