Joseph Alexander Pirus (born January 12, 1955 in Toronto, Ontario) is a retired former professional ice hockey player who played 159 NHL games for the Minnesota North Stars and Detroit Red Wings. He was drafted 41st overall in the 1975 NHL Amateur Draft from the University of Notre Dame by the North Stars.
He turned pro in 1976-77 with Minnesota and scored 20 goals and 17 assists in his rookie season. But in 1977-78, he only managed 9 goals and 6 assists and was sent down to the Fort Worth Texans. In 1978-79 Pirus only got into 15 games. The North Stars traded him to the Detroit Red Wings for cash in January, 1980.
Pirus only played 4 games for the Wings that season. He was traded back to the North Stars in June, 1980 but then was traded to the New York Islanders in July. In any case Pirus spent the 1980-81 season with the Indianapolis Checkers and retired at the end of the season.
In the NHL Pirus played in 159 games and scored 30 goals and 28 assists.