Jan. 16: As expected, the Penguins announced Blomqvist has been recalled from WBS while Jarry has been assigned there after clearing waivers.
Jan. 15: The Penguins will place goaltender Tristan Jarry on waivers later Wednesday, the team announced. It’s unclear if he’ll be assigned to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton if he clears or if he’ll remain on the roster, but Pittsburgh will give other teams a chance to take him off their hands for free before they decide how to move forward with the struggling netminder.
Jarry, who allowed three goals on 17 shots in last night’s loss to Seattle, is now down to an abysmal .886 SV% on the season with a 3.31 GAA and an 8-8-4 record in 21 starts and one relief appearance. He posted a .926 SV% in five AHL appearances earlier this year on a conditioning stint that didn’t require waivers, although that hasn’t changed his confidence or level of play at the NHL level.
Now 29, Jarry finished seventh in Vezina Trophy voting in the 2019-20 and 2021-22 campaigns. Those highs led the Pens to sign him to a five-year, $26.88MM deal minutes before he was set to reach unrestricted free agency in 2023.
Just a year and a half in, they’re already trying to find ways to get out of the deal. If they can’t trade him or convince another club to snag his $5.375MM cap hit off waivers, he could be headed for a buyout this summer.
Notwithstanding this year’s struggles, Jarry’s career numbers are still quite good. The 2013 second-round pick has suited up 278 times for the Pens since debuting in the 2016-17 season, posting a 144-92-29 record with 19 shutouts, a 2.74 GAA, and a .910 SV%. He’s stopped 14.2 goals above average throughout his nine-year career and tied for the league lead in shutouts with six as recently as the 2023-24 campaign.
Without the risk of his contract hamstringing an acquiring team, Jarry would likely be snapped up on the waiver wire and would have even generated significant interest on the trade market considering his past resume. But more than three seasons remaining at a steep cap hit will likely be too much to swallow for even the most financially flexible teams if he can’t rebound from this year’s regression.
Unfortunately, backup Alex Nedeljkovic hasn’t been any better, with a matching .886 SV% in his 19 showings this season. Their best option has been 23-year-old Joel Blomqvist, who’s been in the minors for the last two months but seems ticketed for a recall after Jarry’s waiver period ends Thursday.
Blomqvist, who the Pens selected 52nd overall in 2020 and earned a spot on the AHL’s All-Rookie Team last season, had a .904 SV% and saved 2.1 goals above expected in eight games early this season while Jarry was on his conditioning loan, per MoneyPuck. He also has a .912 mark and a 6-4-2 record in 12 showings with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton this year.
Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.
The last nail was finally laid last night. Shame it would take assets they can’t afford to give up in order to ship him to another franchise.
No point in them adding assets. They’re likely going to be mediocre for year anyways, might as well just hope he can regain his form. Best case scenario right now is look for a Kuemper-Dubois sort of trade. I’d much rather have an overpaid and underperforming forward than an overpaid and underperforming goalie. Much easier to hide and shelter on a roster.
Finally. This new ownership group has proven it has zero interest in the club. The Jarry extension along with the Graves signing and trade for Karlsson have been a disaster. Not to mention the continued failures of Mike Sullivan.
There is zero accountability in this organization right now.
The single best thing an organization can do is to prioritize the scouting, drafting and development of a PIPELINE of goaltenders.
We need to do that.
Also…there’s NO team in the league desperate enough to take that deal, right? I can’t think of one that is even plausible.
Hurricanes?
I would think any team would rather engage Dubas about the Pens retaining salary or tossing in a pick/prospect. But desperate teams do desperate things.
As a Canes fan, it has me wondering but I think theyre just gonna put all their eggs in the Freddie Andersen basket… for better or worse.
If the Pens retained salary, I think they would definitely be interested.
No we’re not.
Yep.
Another big fat swing and a miss for Kyle Dubas on the Jarry contract. Nice game pretty boy!
I just don’t understand the Dubas thinking behind the signing. I mean, it wasn’t like he suddenly became porous *after* signing. This is who he was—-and still is? He plays like an aloof zombie but bit the lottery. Sheesh
You are correct! I don’t understand the Dubas as president hiring, And then he appoints himself GM shortly after, There is nothing in his resume that says, We have to have this guy. And let’s not forget how Dubas slobbered of Karlsson.
And Karlsson cost him this guy: Jake Guentzel (21/21/42 in 21 games)
Dubas is King Midas in reverse.
The Hollies 1967–yes, I can see it!
This contract never made sense. He is just a guy. He would never win you anything . While I would not trade for Karlsson I do understand. take last run with Crosby ,malkin , letang.
That last run was three years ago. But I get it. Can’t break up the big 3
Called it.
Could the Sabres use him as a backup?
Maybe, he would find his form again
The Curse of the Flower.
Ever since we traded Marc, we’ve had goalies who show very high ceillings (two time Cup champ, two time All Star) and then implode and their careers basically end.
The Flower imploded many times on his own. The 2 time Stanley Cup goalie you mentioned had to bail the Flower out in back-to-back cup runs. It’s hilarious how Pens fans act like Fleury never s*** the bed in previous playoffs. He did it in ‘12, ‘13, and ‘14.
All fair, but it has nothing to do with my statement.
Flower’s play before his trade doesn’t change Murray or Jarry’s play after his trade.
What has he won? He lost in the Finals against the Caps and didn’t play great. He lost against the Habs during the Covid season and was the main reason they lost. To me, he fits the criteria of the other two you mentioned.
I want this team to do one of those ridiculous 5 for 5 deals you’d see in the 80’s. I honestly don’t see another option for them except for a mass shakeup with another team stuck in the wilderness. They’re forced to compete because of the ages of their key personnel, but they have nothing to support these guys. Time for a swap with Nashville, who is in a similar position— has no choice but to go for it and they’re underperforming with nothing in the pipeline. Both teams need to salvage the little time they have left with aging stars and a mass swap out is one way to do it. Both have made it clear they do not intend to suck… what other option exists?
Zero chance any team takes that contract.