Pittsburgh Penguins Sign Ryan Graves, Alex Nedeljkovic; Extend Tristan Jarry
The Pittsburgh Penguins have made likely their biggest moves of the day. They’ve signed hulking defenseman Ryan Graves from the New Jersey Devils, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. Per a team release, the contract will be a six-year, $27MM contract, earning an AAV of $4.5MM. They’ve also announced a five-year extension with netminder Tristan Jarry, carrying a $5.375MM AAV. Furthermore, Friedman also reports that the team has brought in goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic as well, signing the young netminder to a one-year, $1.5MM contract.
These are two moves of major significance for the Penguins, especially the Jarry signing. By signing him to this extension, the Penguins have effectively committed to Jarry as the starting goalie for the rest of the careers of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang.
As the goal for Pittsburgh for the rest of their careers is to win the trio one last Stanley Cup, the franchise is effectively betting on Jarry to be a goalie capable of winning the Stanley Cup.
There are reasons to believe Jarry, 28, is up to the task. First and foremost, his 2021-22 season was exceptional (.919 save percentage in 58 games played), as was his 2019-20.
But Jarry has alternated each brilliant campaign with more sluggish ones, and while he still manages above-average numbers in those years they aren’t quite up to the quality expected from a goalie occupying a cap hit higher than $5MM.
For Pittsburgh to truly feel good about this signing, not only will Jarry have to have more consistency on a year-to-year basis, he’ll also need to prove that some of the playoff mistakes that cost the Penguins a playoff series against the New York Islanders in 2020-21 won’t resurface.
As for Graves, his addition gives Pittsburgh an upgrade over the departed Brian Dumoulin both offensively and defensively, as well as in the age department. The 28-year-old left-shot blueliner skates well for his size (six-foot-five, 220 pounds) and plays a respectable two-way game. He averaged around 20 minutes of ice time per night for the New Jersey Devils and was a regular penalty-kill contributor.
Graves will likely pair with either Letang or Jeff Petry, and perhaps Graves’ most promising fit is with Petry.
While the Penguins have reportedly been trying to trade Petry this offseason, his $6.25MM cap hit has proven to be a barrier to getting a deal across the line.
The best way to spur a bounce-back season from Petry could be to replicate the environment that saw him achieve so much success with the Montreal Canadiens.
Petry was at his best when partnered with Joel Edmundson, a steady defender whose abilities defensively afforded Petry the freedom to take risks and play more aggressively offensively.
Petry scored at a 63-point pace in 2020-21, largely stapled next to Edmundson, and many would argue that Graves is a better defenseman than Edmundson. So while Graves has definite value on his own, what he might be able to do to rehabilitate Petry’s on-ice effectiveness is a major bonus.
As for Nedeljkovic, the 27-year-old was sent to the Detroit Red Wings after a stellar rookie season for the Carolina Hurricanes. He posted a .932 save percentage in 23 games, leading many to believe Carolina had found their “goalie of the future.” Carolina wasn’t confident Nedeljkovic’s numbers were repeatable in a heavier workload, and Detroit found that out for themselves when they installed him as their number-one and he struggled mightily.
Nedeljkovic posted a .901 save percentage in 59 games played in 2021-22 and a .895 save percentage this past season, losing Detroit’s backup job to Magnus Hellberg. The hope likely is with this signing that Nedeljkovic can join with incumbent backup Casey DeSmith to form a strong support structure for Jarry, and with a lesser workload potentially get back to somewhere close to the way he played in Carolina.
Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Metro Notes: Pacioretty, Mayfield, Penguins
It seems that unrestricted free agent forward Max Pacioretty is generating substantial interest on the open market after back-to-back instances of a ruptured Achilles tendon within months of each other. Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli reports Friday the Carolina Hurricanes, for whom Pacioretty played only five games in the 2022-23 season due to the ruptures, have granted him permission to explore early negotiations elsewhere before the market opens tomorrow.
The likelihood of re-injury has certainly diminished his chances of earning a lot of cash on his next deal, especially considering a much longer injury history that predates his Achilles issues. But when healthy, the 34-year-old left wing is still a threat for 25 to 30 goals in a season and can handle top-six minutes. He did light the lamp three times in his abbreviated stint with Carolina and has shot above 10% in every season since 2018. We predicted Pacioretty to receive a one-year, $2MM bonus-laden deal on our list of this summer’s top 50 UFAs, although it seems it won’t be with his former club.
More from the Metropolitan Division today:
- As the Saturday deadline looms, the New York Islanders are actively negotiating with defenseman Scott Mayfield‘s representatives in an effort to secure a contract extension before he becomes a UFA, Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic says. Mayfield, who recorded a career-high 24 points this season, is likely to earn a significant raise on his current $1.45MM cap hit. Now 30, the 6-foot-5 Mayfield is still a very effective two-way defender who doesn’t shy away from the physical side of the game, also incurring a career-high 83 penalty minutes in 2022-23.
- The Pittsburgh Penguins and goaltender Tristan Jarry have shown mutual interest in reaching a new deal before 11 am CT tomorrow, but the term of the deal is a point of contention, The Athletic’s Rob Rossi says. Jarry carries his flaws as a long-term starter, especially when it comes to the injury department, but he’ll be the best goalie available if he does hit the market tomorrow. He’s posted 20 wins in four straight seasons and averaged a .915 save percentage over that timeframe, numbers certainly reflective of a starting-caliber netminder.
- In a related development, Rossi says there are strong indications that the Penguins are close to securing a contract extension with forward Jake Guentzel. Don’t expect it to be announced soon, though, as both Guentzel and interim general manager Kyle Dubas recognize the Penguins have much more pressing offseason matters to handle, such as Jarry’s potential extension. Guentzel, a bonafide top-line winger, has averaged over a point per game over the past five seasons and would have been one of the top wingers available on the UFA market in 2024.
Penguins Notes: First Round Pick, Buyouts, Free Agency
Pittsburgh Penguins interim general manager Kyle Dubas held a brief media availability today, touching on many of the choices he’ll have to make as he guides the team through his first offseason at the helm. With the team in a tough situation, unable to truly rebuild after missing the playoffs for the first time in nearly two decades, Dubas has a thin line to walk to prepare the right roster for 2023-24 while not impeding the team’s long-term outlook.
One of those matters is that of Pittsburgh’s first-round pick, slated for 14th overall on Wednesday. It’s their highest selection since drafting defenseman Derrick Pouliot eighth overall in 2012, and Dubas says the team will likely keep the pick. Pittsburgh has some (but not a lot) of salary maneuverability, and Dubas says that any big trade will likely come with another team looking to shed a mid-tier salaried contract.
Other Penguins notes:
- One avenue Dubas likely won’t take to clear additional cap space is a buyout. He told reporters today he doesn’t prefer to use them, citing more “creative solutions” to opening up a team’s financial picture. Forward Mikael Granlund, who had just five points in 21 games after a midseason trade and is under contract for two more seasons at $5MM per year, was a highly speculated buyout candidate this offseason. If the team can’t find a way to move him in a deal, he’ll likely be sticking around for the time being.
- Dubas also says the team won’t be going after any high-profile free agents, instead aiming to hit on some value bets – something he had a great deal of success doing during his time with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He mentioned the door isn’t closed on contract extensions with Jason Zucker and Tristan Jarry, the latter of which is crucial for the team’s clarity without a ton of other goalie options on the open market. He alluded to defenseman Brian Dumoulin heading to the open market, and they’ll look to replace his spot with a more cost-effective UFA.
Goalie Notes: Andersen/Raanta, Jarry, Korpisalo
The Carolina Hurricanes will have a big decision to make this offseason when it comes to their crease. It seemed like a forgone conclusion that one of Frederik Andersen or Antti Raanta would be allowed to walk in free agency as the Hurricanes already have netminder Pyotr Kochetkov locked up for a very reasonable $2MM per season. But according to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic the Hurricanes appear to be in negotiations with both Andersen and Raanta. While it seems unusual for a team that normally has an internal budget to stash a $2MM player in the minors, Kochetkov is still waiver exempt for one more season meaning Carolina could roll back the trio for one more year. That might be the prudent thing to do given that the club needed all three goalies this past year to navigate the various injuries that they dealt with throughout the campaign. Andersen was just okay in the regular season but was terrific in the playoffs, while Raanta had a good regular season but had his fair share of struggles in the postseason.
In other goalie notes:
- LeBrun writes that Pittsburgh Penguins new boss Kyle Dubas has yet to approach the Tristan Jarry situation in any meaningful way and that things still appear to be status quo. Dubas has historically been reluctant to commit major dollars or term to goaltenders and given the injury history and inconsistency in Jarry’s game, it seems unlikely he would commit either to the 28-year-old. Jarry is likely looking for a long-term deal and a return to Pittsburgh seems unlikely unless the bottom falls out of the market, and he decides Pittsburgh is a good soft landing for him. Jarry went 24-13-7 this past season as he and the Penguins missed the playoffs for the first time in 16 seasons. The Surrey, British Columbia native posted a .909 save percentage for the second time in the past three seasons and has yet to demonstrate that he can win in the playoffs.
- LeBrun writes that netminder Joonas Korpisalo and the Los Angeles Kings have had some initial conversations on a contract extension but given how close the Kings are to the cap they may have a tough time fitting in a big cap number on a goaltender. It appears Joonas Korpisalo will hit the open market and he could be an intriguing name for teams looking to make a move in the crease. While he was terrific this past season, Korpisalo has posted a goals saved above expected number higher than -7 every season from 2017-18 through 2021-22 and a save percentage above .915 just once. Given his track record he may be best suited in a 1A/1B tandem situation similar to the Carolina Hurricanes structure with Andersen and Raanta.
Penguins Notes: Lawrence, GM Search, Jarry
With one-half of their next front office duo settled, the Pittsburgh Penguins’ organizational focus now turns toward hiring a new general manager. Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli notes the field of candidates could expand if Dubas is given input into the hiring process, naming current Columbus analytical consultant Cam Lawrence as a possibility.
Lawrence, also the Chief Financial Officer at nutritional retail company GNC, was also previously involved with the Florida Panthers’ analytics and scouting department from 2015 to 2021. In that time, his input helped Florida acquire undervalued players such as Jonathan Marchessault, Carter Verhaeghe, and Reilly Smith. If hired, it would make Pittsburgh one of the most analytically proficient front offices in the league. Seravalli notes Pittsburgh did interview Lawrence earlier in their search process.
- In his introductory press conference today, new president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas offered some insight into an updated timeline for their general manager search. Dubas said he plans to handle the beginning of this offseason, including the draft and free agency, as the interim general manager, meaning a new hire for the position is no longer imminent. Any move will likely come later in the offseason after the team’s roster situation for 2023-24 is settled.
- No choice is bigger for Pittsburgh this offseason than what to do in the crease. Capable but injury-prone starter Tristan Jarry is slated for unrestricted free agency on July 1, and Dubas says he plans on meeting with Jarry and Penguins goalie coach Andy Chiodo before making a decision on whether to retain him. It doesn’t seem the team is willing to pay above market value to have him back, with Dubas saying the team “will be doing a very thorough evaluation of Tristan and review where he stands in the marketplace.”
Pittsburgh Penguins Will Hire General Manager And President
Hockey Insider Frank Seravalli stated today on the Daily Faceoff Rundown podcast that he expects the Pittsburgh Penguins to employ the same management structure they had with their previous group and hire a General Manager and a President of Hockey Operations. Previous GM Ron Hextall and President of Hockey Ops Brian Burke were fired after the season ended as they led the Penguins to their first season out of the playoffs in 16 years.
While it comes as no surprise that the Penguins would want to use that structure, some of the names of who they’ve reportedly interviewed are quite surprising. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun is reporting that Pittsburgh spoke with 10-12 candidates in their first round of interviews and included in that list were Marc Bergevin, Eric Tulsky, Jason Karmanos and Peter Chiarelli. LeBrun added that he expects some of those men to be interviewed a second time as the process goes on.
One name that will likely not be interview is Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas. The young GM held a press conference today where he expressed his desire to remain in Toronto while simultaneously stating he didn’t want to look elsewhere at this time after the past season was so difficult for him and his family.
Whoever ultimately lands the Penguins management jobs will be in tough to build around an aging core with multiple bad contracts to try and navigate. Pittsburgh correctly committed to Kris Letang and Evgeni Malkin last summer, as well as Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell. However, they were saddled with a bottom six that couldn’t get going offensively, and a team that couldn’t find a defensive identity. All of this, coupled with inconsistent goaltending from Tristan Jarry and Casey DeSmith led to the Penguins missing the playoffs for just the second time in the Sidney Crosby era.
It’ll be a long summer in Pittsburgh; however, it could be the most interesting one they’ve had since Jim Rutherford plucked Phil Kessel from the Toronto Maple Leafs in a 2015 trade and kickstarted a two-year run of brilliance in the steel city. The Penguins still have a very strong top-6 and will have around $20MM in cap space once free agency begins.
Penguins Notes: Jarry, Petry, Bonino
Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry‘s current absence is related to a new lower-body injury, head coach Mike Sullivan confirmed to reporters on Monday. The injury is not an aggravation of Jarry’s previous lower-body injury, which cost him seven games in January.
Jarry was healthy enough to dress as the backup for Saturday’s game against the Washington Capitals but has not played since last Wednesday. Casey DeSmith stopped 31 of 34 shots against Washington on Saturday to guide the team to a much-needed 4-3 win. Jarry’s injury troubles have been countered by DeSmith’s strong play in the month of March, recording a .921 save percentage in seven appearances to help keep the Penguins in playoff position. In contrast, Jarry’s save percentage has dipped to .908 on the season as he continues to battle injuries.
More notes from Sullivan on the status of his injured players today:
- Defenseman Jeff Petry‘s availability for Tuesday’s game against the Detroit Red Wings remains uncertain. Sullivan announced that Petry’s status will be a game-time decision after the 35-year-old blueliner has missed the past five games with an upper-body injury. Petry himself told reporters that today’s practice was “a step forward,” but wouldn’t comment on his status for Tuesday.
- Center Nick Bonino skated before practice on Monday, according to Sullivan. Acquired at the trade deadline, Bonino played just three games back in a Penguins uniform before a kidney laceration landed him on long-term injured reserve. It’s a good sign for the veteran center’s long-term health that a return to the ice seems to be a nearing possibility.
Metropolitan Notes: Jarry, Lindgren, Milano
It has been a rough season on the injury front for Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry who is dealing with his fifth injury within the last year. Accordingly, Mark Madden of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review posits that Pittsburgh should look to move on from the netminder instead of meeting a reported asking price of $36MM over six years to extend him, a price that might be too risky for someone who has struggled to stay in the lineup with consistency. Jarry has had a bit of a rough season but has still managed an above-average .908 SV% in 40 starts. Fortunately, he shouldn’t be out much longer as he was a full participant in their game-day skate although Casey DeSmith is expected to get the start tonight against Washington.
More from the Metropolitan:
- The Rangers were hesitant to put Ryan Lindgren on LTIR when he was injured last month. He returned to the lineup only to re-aggravate his shoulder injury. Accordingly, Mollie Walker of the New York Post wonders if New York might be better off doing so now. A retroactive placement would keep him eligible to return for the playoffs while giving him ample time to ensure he’s fully ready to return. Additionally, such a move would clear up their short-term cap difficulties, eliminating the possibility of them needing to play shorthanded for a game to become eligible for a cap-exempt recall.
- Capitals winger Sonny Milano will miss at least a week with an upper-body injury, relays Tarik El-Bashir of The Athletic (Twitter link). The 26-year-old has had a nice first season with Washington, picking up 11 goals and 21 assists in 58 games, a nice return on a league minimum contract. He has already signed a three-year extension that begins next season with a $1.9MM AAV.
Injury Notes: Jarry, Thomas, Deslauriers
Rob Rossi of The Athletic reports the Pittsburgh Penguins are dealing with another goaltender injury. Tristan Jarry has a lower-body injury and will not play this evening when the Penguing travel west to take on the Dallas Stars. Jarry missed about a month in late January and into February with a lower-body injury and it appears he may be dealing with something similar yet again. There is no timeline for his return at this point.
Jarry is not having his best season to date. He has put up a 2.98 GAA and a .908 SV% in 40 games played. The 27 year old was much better last season when he posted a 2.42 GAA and a .919 SV% along with a 34-18-6 record. The Penguins could use that version of Jarry down the stretch as they try to hang on to a playoff spot. They are currently one point ahead of the Florida Panthers for the final wildcard spot in the Eastern Conference.
- Eyebrows were raised St. Louis when Robert Thomas of the Blues was made a late scratch. However, the team announced he was going to be held out of tonight’s contest with an illness. Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported Logan Brown took the spot in the lineup after Thomas completed pregame warmups so it was a last-minute decision of the team. It does not appear to be something that will keep the star forward out of the lineup for long. The 23-year-old center has 16 goals and 60 points in 67 games this season.
- Charlie O’Connor of The Athletic reports Nicolas Deslauriers was held out of the Philadelphia Flyers lineup with an upper-body injury. Deslauriers is in the first season of a four-year contract that pays him $1.75MM per year. The gritty winger has scored five goals and 11 points in 70 games for the Flyers this season.
Pittsburgh Penguins Activate Tristan Jarry
The Pittsburgh Penguins activated starting netminder Tristan Jarry from injured reserve, the team announced Monday afternoon. Goaltender Dustin Tokarski was re-assigned to the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in a corresponding transaction.
Jarry is expected to start tonight when the Penguins host the New York Islanders. It will be his first start since January 22, missing the following nine games with an upper-body injury.
Pittsburgh’s been their best with Jarry in goal, and his return couldn’t come at a more important time in the season. The Penguins are surrounded by a tight pool of teams looking to secure Wild Card spots in the Eastern Conference, and the team’s 4-4-2 record in their past ten games can be attributed in part to poor goaltending.
The 27-year-old Jarry has been one of the better netminders in the league this season, boasting a .921 save percentage and a 16-5-5 record. Pittsburgh is below .500 with backups Casey DeSmith and Tokarski in the net.
Tokarski returns to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, where he has a sparkling .920 save percentage in 21 appearances.