The Penguins may be seeking a third-line center, but that doesn’t mean they’re willing to give up one of their young goalies. General manager Jim Rutherford told Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that he isn’t listening to offers for youngsters Tristan Jarry or Casey DeSmith.
“I don’t have any interest in moving any of those guys,” Rutherford said. “We’ve gone through a transition period here where the No. 1 goalie for years – and one of the franchise’s most beloved players – has moved on.
“We’ve transitioned into a team that probably has the best group of young goalies in the league. I don’t have any interest in talking [to other teams] about these three guys.”
Matthew Murray will continue being the team’s top goalie, but both Jarry and DeSmith provide the organization with plenty of insurance. Mackey notes that Jarry would net a much stronger package than DeSmith, although the 22-year-old is higher on the depth chart. Jarry is 9-4-2 this season with a 2.44 GAA and .919 save percentage. The 26-year-old DeSmith is 1-2 with a 2.12 GAA and .921 save percentage.
Rutherford did sound like he’s still pursuing that offensive reinforcement, but he noted that the current trade market is a bit different than previous seasons.
“It’s a little tighter at this point than other seasons, but there are still players out there that are available,” Rutherford said. “Are they the right fit? Does that improve our team? Those things all get factored in.
“At this point in time, there’s not somebody out there that can improve our team.”