P.O Joseph Honored to Share Kris Letang's Story at NHL Awards

When it was time to award the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy - awarded to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey - at last night's NHL Awards, three people who share a deep connection with each of the three finalists took the stage to share their stories.

For Kris Letang, that person was his teammate and fellow French-Canadian, P.O Joseph.

"I really wanted to give back to him. He gave so much to me this year," Joseph said afterward. "He means the world to me, and I've looked up to him since I'm a kid, basically. So, it's not easy to go out there and speak to people - but for him, I will do anything."

Joseph flew with the Letang family - Kris, his wife Catherine and their children Alex and Victoria - from Montreal to Nashville, dealing with travel issues that delayed their arrival for a day. They got to the hotel a few hours before the ceremony, with P.O's heartfelt speech prepared and ready to go.

"I'm from Quebec, and moving to the United States was a big challenge for me. Kris took me under his wing the second I arrived in the organization," Joseph began.

This past season, that meant Letang opened up his home to Joseph, inviting P.O to live with him in Pittsburgh to alleviate some of the stress that young players face when trying to earn a spot in the NHL.

"We lived together, we cooked together, we watched all the seasons of Entourage together…" continued Joseph, which earned a laugh from Letang. "Obviously, he had to put the Entourage thing in. He never watched it, so I had to get him up to date. He's too young!" Kris said.

After getting that little inside joke in, Joseph went on to say that Letang is a mentor - with Kris providing support and guidance in so many areas, from nutrition to sleep to how P.O understands the game, how he sees himself, and how he evaluates himself.

"You can always do something better. Kris always shows me that maybe you play your best game, but there's always another best game that you can bring," Joseph said.

In talking with Joseph about that at the end of the season, P.O said he and Kris have a great open dialogue. Letang is a good listener, and uses what Joseph shares with him to give constructive feedback. "He always tells me I have to be meaner," Joseph said with a laugh. "He says, I know you're a softie outside of the ice, but you gotta be mean in front of the net or in the corners when guys are bigger."

He's also helped Joseph have more confidence, as P.O struggles with insecurity sometimes, particularly when playing with Letang - as he really has idolized Kris since he was a kid growing up in Montreal.

"I'm really lucky to have someone like him to look up to," Joseph said. "So, either this or of the ice, he's just a great human being in general with the way he gives back, the way he is good with his family."

P.O is part of Letang's family now, as Kris is more than a mentor to Joseph - he's also like a brother. So, to see this season test Kris in unthinkable ways was difficult to watch for those closest to him… but the character and resilience Letang showed in handling all of it was incredible to see. And for Joseph to share some insight into all of that was truly an honor.

"At the end of November, he called me from the hospital and said he suffered the second stroke of his hockey career. He was back on the ice just a couple weeks later, but he's a tough guy like that," Joseph said.

"Then he broke his foot, and shortly after that, Kris lost his father, Claude Fouquet. Our team flew through the night to attend his service in Montreal. Kris has always been there for myself and the team, and we had to be there for him and his family. Despite all his hardship, Kris came back in a good spirit and led the team on and off the ice. He's someone who's always there for his family, his friends and his team. Love you, mon chum."