Pittsburgh Penguins Content With Tristan Jarry As Starter
Heading into the off-season, the Pittsburgh Penguins seemed destined to bring in a new goaltender. GM Ron Hextall more than hinted at his desire to add an established veteran to the mix alongside young Tristan Jarry, whose play suffered this past season. Yet, the status quo remains in the Pittsburgh net with Jarry and injury-prone backup Casey DeSmith.
The root of this unexpected lack of change at the goalie position lies in the salary cap. Even with the departures of Jared McCann and Brandon Tanev, the Penguins are still right up against the upper limit. To this point, high-priced trade chips Jason Zucker, Marcus Pettersson, and Mike Matheson have yet to move, which leaves the team with little wiggle room in the free agent market. With what small space they had, the team opted to replace Tanev and McCann with Brock McGinn and Danton Heinen rather than address the goaltender position.
If and when the team is able to clear some space, perhaps adding a goalie will return to the forefront of their off-season objectives. The free agent market has largely been left bare, but the team could target a trade option such as Dallas’ Ben Bishop or Anton Khudobin, while Joonas Korpisalo, Alexandar Georgiev, and Malcolm Subban are other options believed to be available.
However, the team appears to no longer feel that they absolutely must add a goaltender before next season. Speaking with NHL.com’s Wes Crosby, Hextall stated that he believes Jarry is “going to bounce back” to starter quality for the Penguins this season. The 26-year-old did post a .921 save percentage and 2.43 GAA just a year ago, but those numbers fell to .909 and 2.75 this season. Most jarring was Jarry’s poor performance in the playoffs, in which he looked totally outmatched. Yet, Hextall – a former goalie himself – is confident that Jarry can return to form even without competition from a veteran addition. It seems he trusts DeSmith, who should be recovered from off-season surgery in time for the new campaign, as the backup again as well. This newfound confidence could be a product of the lacking talent available elsewhere or perhaps even some optimism for highly-regarded college free agent addition Filip Lindberg. Whatever the reason, the front office has changed their tune and Penguins fans have to hope that it all works out for the team as their championship window begins to close.
Front Office Notes: Penguins, Flyers, Maple Leafs, Rangers
Once a model organization for goaltending performance and depth, the Pittsburgh Penguins play in net has largely gone downhill since the departure of goaltending coach Mike Bales in 2017. His replacement, Mike Buckley, watched as young starters Matt Murray and Tristan Jarry suffered through struggles and was unable to right the ship. The Penguins have decided that it is time for a new voice, especially after failing thus far in free agency to add a veteran mentor for Jarry. The team has announced that Buckley has been relieved of his duties and former Pittsburgh keeper Andy Chiodo has been hired as his replacement. Though new to the job, Chiodo has been with the organization in a development role since 2018. He has also previously worked as a goalie coach in the OHL and Canadian college ranks. Chiodo was considered a high-IQ goaltender during his playing days and will look to take his knowledge of the game and use it to improve the Penguins’ young, inconsistent net.
- Across the state, the Philadelphia Flyers have made some new additions of their own. The team announced that ten new names have joined the organization, five in hockey operations, two to the Flyers’ coaching staff, and three to the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms’ coaching staff. The headliner of the group is veteran executive Mike O’Connell, named Senior Advisor to the General Manager. A former GM of the Boston Bruins, made infamous as the architect of the Joe Thornton trade, O’Connell has quietly made a very positive difference for the Los Angeles Kings for the past 15 year in various roles in scouting and player development. O’Connell contributed to two Stanley Cup champions and has now helped to draft and develop arguably the best prospect pipeline in the NHL. Among the other front office hires were Pro Scout Nick Beverley, who has spent the past 16 years with the Nashville Predators and Amateur Scout Matt Bardsley, a former GM of the WHL’s Kamloops Blazers. In Lehigh Valley, the team named two assistants to Ian Laperriere‘s staff, former WHL coach Jason Smith former ECHL coach Riley Armstrong.
- While the New York Rangers have lost some big names from their front office this off-season, they just poached a notable name for themselves. The Toronto Sun’s Lance Horsby reports that Toronto Maple Leafs Director of Amateur Scouting John Lilley has decided to leave the team to become Director of Player Personnel in New York. Lilley has been with Toronto since 2006, including the past three years as leader of amateur scouting and therefore the Maple Leafs’ drafts. His new title means even more responsibility with the Rangers, though Lilley will still be in charge of amateur scouting and will run the draft. The Maple Leafs have not named a replacement.
Penguins Notes: Goaltending, Jarry, DeSmith, Malkin
The Penguins’ new brain trust threw their support behind goaltender Tristan Jarry after his struggles led to another early exit for the team this postseason. At least publicly, the team claimed that they still believed in the 25-year-old as their starter. In fact, they went so far as to say that adding size and physicality was their only objective this off-season. Behind closed doors, the conversation seems to have gone differently. Dan Kingerski of Pittsburgh Hockey Now reports that multiple sources close to the team confirm that the Penguins aim to add a veteran goaltender on the trade or free agent market this summer. While Kingerski calls the focus an “experienced backup”, in all likelihood that means they are looking for someone with starting experience to play 1B to Jarry’s 1A and take over if he again has issues. Frederik Andersen is a name that has already been linked to the Penguins, while other UFA options include Jonathan Bernier, James Reimer, Antti Raanta, Jaroslav Halak or Devan Dubnyk. Younger names like Linus Ullmark or Chris Driedger could really push Jarry if brought in. Trade options are numerous and the Expansion Draft will likely shake up the market, but Anton Khudobin stands out as an ideal fit for what the Penguins are looking for.
- Again, this means that Casey DeSmith is the odd man out – and not just on the depth chart. Kingerski put to rest any speculation to the contrary by stating definitively that Jarry will be protected by the Penguins in the impending Expansion Draft. That will leave DeSmith, 29, up for grabs for the Seattle Kraken, though the team will likely have better options elsewhere on the Pittsburgh roster. Nevertheless, DeSmith’s time with the Penguins could be running out. After outplaying Jarry in everything but games played this season, DeSmith has proven himself to be a solid backup in his own right. Injury prone and unaccustomed to a starter’s workload at the NHL level, teams may not be clamoring to acquire DeSmith, but he also is unlikely to clear waivers if the Penguins add another goalie.
- Another player that Kingerski confirms for the Penguins’ protection list in next month’s Expansion Draft: Evgeni Malkin. No, its not exactly a revelation. Not only is Malkin one of the faces of the franchise, but his contract also carries a No-Movement Clause, requiring him to be protected. Malkin could waive his NMC, but the team will not ask him to do that. That may seem like common sense, but after a down year by his standards, advancing age, an expensive contract, a serious injury that could carry over into the season, and very poor Expansion Draft outlook for their deep roster, the Penguins have plenty of reason to at least consider exposing Malkin. However, Kingerski adds that it probably would be a useless request anyway. As as has been the book on Malkin throughout his whole career, he would only leave Pittsburgh if he was traded to a Florida team, where he makes his home in the off-season. Seattle is on the other side of the continent.
East Notes: Oshie, Penguins, Rask
With Capitals winger T.J. Oshie growing up near Seattle, some have speculated that he could be a potential pick for the Kraken in the upcoming expansion draft with his possible selection helping to free up some much-needed flexibility for Washington. However, the veteran told reporters, including NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti, that he’s hoping to not be changing teams this offseason:
So I’ve got family out there, you know, that’s great, but Washington is where I want to be. This is where I’ve bled and cried, everything here. And this is where I want to stay for the long term. I signed an eight-year deal here because this is where I want to spend the rest of my career and retire here.
Oshie is now halfway through that contract and while he has partial no-trade protection, he doesn’t have the no-move clause that’s needed to lock him into one of the Capitals’ seven protected slots for forwards. The 34-year-old is coming off a nice season with 22 goals and 21 assists in 53 games and if he is made available, he certainly could be a tempting choice for the Kraken.
More from the East:
- Following another quick playoff exit, there’s a case to be made that the Penguins should be changing up their long-standing core. However, NBC Pro Hockey Talk’s Adam Gretz argues the opposite, believing that the collapse of the goaltending was their downfall which is a case to change things up there than blowing things up. It will be tricky for Pittsburgh to shake up their goaltending though. With minimal cap space and starter Tristan Jarry making just $3.5MM which is well below what a lot of number ones make, it will be tough to be able to afford a significant upgrade without taking away another key piece from their roster.
- While he was quite sharp in their first-round victory over Washington, Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask indicated on an appearance on WEEI (audio link) that he still isn’t feeling fully recovered from the upper-body injury that kept him out of the lineup for most of Boston’s stretch run. He also indicated that there have been no recent discussions regarding a contract extension as the 34-year-old is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer.
East Notes: Vigneault, Hall, Pittsburgh Goalies
With the Flyers going from finishing second in the Metropolitan Division a year ago (and then finishing first in the seeding games) to missing the playoffs this year, some wondered if head coach Alain Vigneault’s job may be in jeopardy. GM Chuck Fletcher put an end to that speculation, telling Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic (subscription link) that the veteran bench boss and his staff will be back behind the bench for Philadelphia next season. One element that Vigneault and his coaches will have to clean up is their defense as they went from being in the top ten in goals allowed a year ago to dead last this season as no team allowed more goals than the Flyers which, coupled with a mid-tier attack, made for a tough year on the ice.
More from the East Division:
- Speaking with reporters on a Zoom call earlier this week (video link), Bruins president Cam Neely expressed a desire to retain winger Taylor Hall but indicated they will see how things go with the playoffs first. The veteran has been a nice addition for Boston who acquired him from Buffalo just before the trade deadline and he has been productive, picking up eight goals and six assists in 16 games down the stretch, the types of numbers he was hoping to put up when he signed with Buffalo last fall. While a long-term deal at his current $8MM price tag isn’t likely in this environment, if he’s willing to accept something in line with their other top forwards (their highest-paid next year is Patrice Bergeron at $6.875MM), it would certainly make some sense to try to bring him back.
- After Pittsburgh was without both Tristan Jarry and Casey DeSmith due to injuries at the end of the regular season, the Penguins got some good and bad news on the goalie front today. Seth Rorabaugh of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports that Jarry is ready to go but DeSmith suffered a lower-body injury in practice and his status for their series opener against the Islanders is uncertain. If he’s unable to dress, Maxime Lagace – who had a shutout in the season finale – would serve as Jarry’s backup.
Sidney Crosby, Todd Reirden Exit COVID Protocol
Sidney Crosby has been the biggest name to land on the NHL’s COVID Protocol Related Absences list so far this season, but it was a short stay for the Penguins captain. Pittsburgh has announced that Crosby has been activated from the COVID Protocol and will be in the lineup for their Thursday night game.
Assistant coach Todd Reirden has also been cleared of the COVID Protocol and will be back behind the bench. He was replaced by development coach Ty Hennes for the team’s last game.
Both men only landed on the list on Tuesday and missed just one game. Led by a 40-save effort from Tristan Jarry, the team stepped up in their stead with a 5-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. They face their in-state rival again tonight.
Pittsburgh Penguins Extend Tristan Jarry
A busy morning for goalie deals continues. The Pittsburgh Penguins have announced a new three-year, $10.5MM contract with young keeper Tristan Jarry. The extension, which buys out one UFA year, keeps the 25-year-old restricted free agent under contract through the 2022-23 season at an AAV of $3.5MM. CapFriendly reports that the deal breaks down as follows:
2020-21: $2.5MM
2021-22: $3.5MM
2022-23: $4.5MM
If these numbers seem slightly familiar, they should. Matt Murray, the Penguins’ “goalie of the future” just three short years ago, signed a three-year, $3.75MM AAV contract when his entry-level deal expired. He earned the slight edge over Jarry given that he had more experience at the time and had helped the Penguins to two Stanley Cup titles, but the deal did not buy out any UFA years. Murray is now a restricted free agent as well, but the Penguins made it clear early on this off-season that they would move forward with Jarry and that Murray is on the trade block. The cap-strapped club would love to keep both young goalies, but that does not appear to be in the cards, especially with the salary that Murray expects to command.
Of course, the decision was not just about money. Jarry was clearly the superior option this season, despite it being just his second season of regular NHL action. In a career-high 33 appearances, he set new personal bests with 20 wins, a 2.43 goals against average, and a .921 save percentage. His GAA and SV% ranked among the top ten goalies in the NHL and after a few roster changes the rookie even earned an All-Star nod. He was also stellar in his one playoff appearance this year, leaving many Pittsburgh fans to wonder why Murray got the majority of starts in the team’s qualifying round upset.
Jarry appears to be the real deal, but the Penguins are not done tweaking their situation in net. First, the team will need to find a taker for Murray, who the team will likely be forced to make a qualifying offer to by Wednesday’s deadline. Next, they will likely need to evaluate the veteran backup options on the free agent and trade markets. Jarry has still never even played half of an NHL season (41 games) in a year, never mind a starter’s load. AHLer Casey DeSmith has some experience at the top level, but might not be the best backup option next season given his lack of NHL starts as well. Look for the Penguins to stay involved in the goalie market as both buyers and sellers.
Penguins Receiving Trade Interest In Their Goaltenders
It appears as if Pittsburgh isn’t wasting any time with their offseason planning. They acquired winger Kasperi Kapanen from Toronto earlier today and it appears as if they’re making some progress on another trade front as well. GM Jim Rutherford told Josh Yohe of The Athletic (subscription required) that there has been interest in both Tristan Jarry and Matt Murray and that “there’s a very, very good chance that we’re going to have to move one of them”.
Rutherford clarified that discussions aren’t in the final stages by any stretch but that he has a good understanding of what type of return could be available.
Both netminders are slated to become restricted free agents this offseason and have salary arbitration eligibility. With more than $72MM committed in payroll for next season already to only 17 players, it’s difficult to see a scenario where they can keep both goalies in the fold without making a move to free up some salary. Considering that would essentially the opposite of what they did today, that doesn’t seem too likely to happen.
Murray is likely to be the higher-priced goaltender of the two considering he comes with a $3.75MM qualifying offer and is only a year away from UFA eligibility. However, the 26-year-old isn’t coming off the best of seasons as he had a 20-11-5 record with a .899 SV% and a 2.87 GAA in 38 regular season starts and while Murray opened up their Qualifying Round series against Montreal as the starter, he wasn’t between the pipes at its completion. That certainly won’t help his market value. On the other hand, he has a good overall track record in the playoffs with a pair of Stanley Cup titles and would represent an upgrade for some teams looking for goalie help.
As for Jarry, this was his first full season in the NHL after breaking camp as the backup. He didn’t stay in that role for too long though as he got off to a great start to his year, earning an All-Star Game nod in the process. Overall, he posted a 20-12-1 record to go along with a .921 SV and a 2.43 GAA in 33 games during the regular season. His qualifying offer will be much cheaper, checking in at just $735K although he stands to earn much more than that. On the other hand, his still limited NHL track record could limit the number of suitors that would be willing to part with a sizable return.
The trade market for goaltenders could be an interesting one over the coming months as the number of starting netminders available on the unrestricted free agent market is rather limited with Jacob Markstrom, Braden Holtby, Robin Lehner, and Corey Crawford being the only ones fitting the bill. Accordingly, trading for a younger (and potentially cheaper) option could be more palatable to teams that are looking to structure their rosters to fit a flat $81.5MM Upper Limit for next season.
From that standpoint, it would seem that Pittsburgh is in good shape to make a move with a pair of marketable goalies. Goaltenders haven’t yielded significant returns in recent years but with a number of teams likely looking for improvements, this appears to be a good time to try to move one which should have Rutherford well-positioned to get a notable return.
Morning Notes: Jets, Jarry, Stamkos
The Winnipeg Jets are going home a little earlier than they had hoped after losing game four to the Calgary Flames last night. Eliminated from the playoffs, they could finally reveal what happened to Mark Scheifele and Patrik Laine, explaining to Sara Orlesky of TSN that neither one is expected to miss an extended period of time. Head coach Paul Maurice doesn’t believe there is any Achilles damage for Schiefele, who yelled in pain on the ice after colliding with Matthew Tkachuk in game one. Maurice called it “a crush” not a cut, but did admit that his top center is still undergoing further testing.
Laine meanwhile sprained his hand in the opener and couldn’t hold a stick, but Maurice believes he’ll only be out for a few weeks. Mason Appleton, who isn’t quite as important to the team as the former two, will also be out just a few weeks with a shoulder injury. The Jets will finally say goodbye to a 2019-20 season that was quite the rollercoaster, starting with Dustin Byfuglien‘s disappearance and ending with two of their offensive leaders watching from the stands.
- If the Pittsburgh Penguins are to avoid the same fate, they’ll need to stave off elimination against the Montreal Canadiens today. To do so they’ll call upon Tristan Jarry, starting him in game four over Matt Murray who has lost two of the first three. Murray did post a .914 save percentage in those games but received endless online criticism for how he played a shot from Jeff Petry, which ended up being the winning goal. After starting his career out with two Stanley Cups before his rookie status expired, Murray now has just two wins in his last 12 playoff contests. Jarry meanwhile will be making his playoff debut in an elimination game and has just 62 appearances at the NHL level under his belt.
- Steven Stamkos won’t be playing for the Tampa Bay Lightning when they face the Philadelphia Flyers tomorrow in a winner-takes-all round-robin game. The Lightning and Flyers have both won the first two round-robin contests, meaning whoever takes tomorrow’s game will be the top seed in the Eastern Conference for the duration of the playoffs. Stamkos won’t be able to help, and though he is working hard and rehabbing, head coach Jon Cooper told reporters including Sam Carchidi of the Philadelphia Inquirer that the captain will be out indefinitely.
Metropolitan Notes: Palmieri, Thurkauf, Penguins
While the Devils aren’t taking part in the NHL’s return, winger Kyle Palmieri told Nick Gantaifis of the Bergen Record that he’s hoping to resume skating at the team’s practice complex in the coming weeks. Even the facilities for teams that aren’t among the 24 coming back are allowed to be open and although there isn’t anything to necessarily be getting ready for, they’re still likely looking at another four to five months before next season gets underway so a mid-offseason conditioning camp of sorts would be a useful idea.
Palmieri also touched on his contract situation as he’s a year away from UFA eligibility. He indicated that he hasn’t given much thought to that particular situation, citing the question marks around the NHL calendar at the moment. He’s eligible to sign an extension as of July 1st under current rules but with so many questions regarding the salary cap for next season, the Devils – like many other teams – will likely hold off on talks until there is more clarity on that front.
More from the Metropolitan:
- In a newsletter on EV Zug’s website, the Swiss NLA team indicated that the Blue Jackets are interested in working on a new deal for pending RFA winger Calvin Thurkauf. The 22-year-old had a career best 26 points in 53 games with AHL Cleveland this season while getting into three NHL games with Columbus as well. Thurkauf played in Zug’s junior system before coming to North America so if he was to decide to go back overseas, that would be his likely landing spot.
- The Penguins are one of quite a few teams that will have an intriguing decision to make between the pipes for the playoffs. Head coach Mike Sullivan told Josh Yohe of The Athletic (subscription required) that he hasn’t decided yet whether Matt Murray or Tristan Jarry will get the nod to start against Montreal. Previously, GM Jim Rutherford had said his expectation was that Murray would have the first opportunity as his playoff performance over his career has been strong. However, Jarry’s numbers over the course of the regular season were considerably better. The three-week training camp and round robin seeding set of games should ultimately decide who gets to start.