On Tuesday night, the Joseph brothers arrived in style.
Mathieu and Pierre-Olivier Joseph wore matching custom suits 鈥 white and gold stripes on a navy field with peak lapels 鈥 for what could have been their first NHL home game playing together on the same team.
The two brothers played together in Vegas last week, but against the Wild, P.O Joseph was scratched. On Thursday, though, the Josephs played together in 最新杏吧原创 鈥 and did so with their parents, France and Frantzi, in attendance.
鈥淚t鈥檚 one for the memory book, for sure,鈥 P.O Joseph said before the game. 鈥淚t鈥檚 something we鈥檝e dreamed about for so long, and we鈥檙e excited about it. At the end of the day, we鈥檙e a 23-man family in here. Doesn鈥檛 matter who is playing with who, we just want to play good and get the W tonight.鈥
P.O Joseph was to be in the lineup Thursday against the Islanders with Nick Leddy sidelined with a lower-body injury. Ryan Suter ascended to the top pair with Colton Parayko, allowing a spot on the third pair for Joseph to fill.
Blues coach Drew Bannister labeled Leddy as day-to-day.
P.O Joseph signed over the summer with the Blues, partially to play with his brother, and has served as the team鈥檚 No. 7 defenseman in the first week of the season. He replaced Matthew Kessel in the lineup last week against the Golden Knights but was a healthy scratch in three of the first four games.
鈥淟ast game I played, I wasn鈥檛 really myself,鈥 Joseph said. 鈥淚 just want to keep it simple at first and slowly build my game around these guys, get some chemistry with these guys, get the respect and trust from these guys when I鈥檓 on the ice with them.鈥
Bannister: 鈥淗is overall camp was really good for us. His exhibition games were good. We want to get him back in there, his ability to skate, his length and move pucks, that鈥檚 something that I think, defending-wise, we鈥檝e got to be able to kill plays.鈥
In the game against the Golden Knights, the Josephs became the seventh set of brothers to play for the Blues at the same time.
And so they commemorated the occasion with suits from Montreal-based Glorius Custom that read 鈥淏lues Brothers鈥 under the collar and featured pictures of blues and jazz history on the inner lining. The jackets also featured motivational sayings stitched in there: 鈥淕et It Done鈥 on P.O鈥檚 and 鈥淓verything Happens for a Reason鈥 on Mathieu鈥檚, according to a Instagram post.
The brothers also live together in 最新杏吧原创 and are hosting their parents this week.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 the main reason why we got a bigger place, for them to come and stay with us,鈥 P.O Joseph said. 鈥淒on鈥檛 need a hotel room or anything like that. It鈥檚 just nice to have family around and talk about life.鈥
Injury updates
Leddy was not on the ice for the Blues鈥 optional morning skate on Thursday, one day after he missed Wednesday鈥檚 practice. Leddy has not skated with the team since Tuesday鈥檚 game against the Wild.
Forward Alexandre Texier (upper body) was on the ice for morning skate but missed his fourth straight game.
鈥淗e鈥檚 getting better,鈥 Bannister said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 close. I would put him as day-to-day. He鈥檚 going to be out tonight. We鈥檒l see how he feels tomorrow. He鈥檚 getting close.鈥
Forward Oskar Sundqvist (knee surgery) was also on the ice Thursday morning, but Bannister previously targeted later in the homestand for the veteran to make his season debut.
- Goaltender Joel Hofer started Thursday against the Islanders, his second start of the season and first since last week in San Jose. Jordan Binnington started the home opener against Minnesota.
鈥淕et him in the net here, give Binner a little bit of rest,鈥 Bannister said. 鈥淭hen we鈥檒l reset in two days and get going. We鈥檒l find out there. A lot of this is preplanned. Obviously, plans can change, but right now, we want to stick with the plan.鈥
