I think POJ at least stays on the taxi squad and send Gaudreau and Czuczman down. When ERod and Riikola come back, Lafferty and Angello go down and OConnor goes on the taxi squad. But yeah, POJ I think is overwhelmed as an NHL 1st pair right now. Probably would be suited better on the 2nd or 3rd pairing but can’t break up that Matheson-Marino pairing. Matheson is a +7 in 4 games since returning and has yet to be a negative in that span. And wouldn’t scratch Dumo or MP. I think a lot of POJ’s struggles are Letangs fault too tbh.

it is not on letang. It is what it is. I think part of it is playing 1st pairing and part of it is getting a little to comfortable in his play even though they are supporting him less with forwards. That can't happen.
He should go back to WBS as he's waivers exempt and can get ice time down there. He's had a good run at it. He's close but I don't think forcing the issue is a good idea. Not with the depth they have on the LD side.
I'm not sure I would play him off side over Ceci at this point. They needed to keep him sheltered 3-4 games or whatever it's been at 1st pairing has not done him any favors.
I do have to give JR some credit here. He's managed to build a halfway decent defense for this team given all the previous problems. The only issue is, he let the 3rd line fall to hell while he did it.

I’d have to disagree about it not being a lot on Letang. And that’s nothing against Letang either. He’s just not easy to play with. Letang plays like a bonehead a lot and pinches way too much leaving his partner hanging. Something a veteran defensive defenseman can handle a lot better than a rookie. I think it’s better to pair POJ with a defensive defenseman that can cover for him because he is going to make mistakes regardless of what line you put him on. You can just shelter him more on a 3rd pair. But he is eventually going to have to face the nhl at some point. Might as well be now. Just knock him down to a 3rd pair rotation.
I wouldn’t mind seeing this...
Matheson-Marino
Pettersson-Letang
POJ-Ceci
Until Dumo comes back.
I mean I think we can all agree that the Matheson-Marino pairing has been our best pair the past 4 games.

I think the Matheson-Marino pairing has been good, but they aren't taking the brunt of the load. That's Letang doing that.
We can say Letang makes bad decisions but at the end of the day he's still the teams best Dman. He takes the hardest matchups night in and night out and plays well for the most part. He is aggressive on the offensive side pinching, but that's the system they play. It's not on him. The forward has to come back and the other defense man has to rotate back center.
I think there is a reality that they really tried to support POJ. Since shift 1. his starting play was basically, give the puck to Crosby, who would come back to get it from him.
Those are some of the issues there. He's young, and he's got to adjust to the speed of the game. I think him trying to figure that out and the forwards saying we can't play back like that and win is part of the issue, especially on 1st pairing. He just doesn't belong on the 1st pair. I don't see how he fits when everyone is healthy as he's the only one who can pass waivers and the other 3 on the LD are currently better players. I also don't think they play anyone on their off side as Letang/Marino are not going anywhere and Ceci has looked pretty good in his sheltered role. I don't see them asking a rookie to play his off side for ice time over Ceci at the moment. It just doesn't make sense to do that.
But they aren't gonna put anyone else there either to make room for him on the left. Just too many bodies.
He's ready to be in a 3rd pairing role, no doubt about that, but you just aren't going to sit some of these other guys.