According to NHL insider Chris Johnston, the Pittsburgh Penguins are looking to trade goalie Tristan Jarry this offseason, despite signing him to a five-year, $28.875 million deal on July 1, 2023, to maintain his role as their starting goalie. Johnston revealed on ‘The Chris Johnston Show’ on SDPN that the Penguins will attempt to move him this summer.
“If you’re looking for a more reliable option, Tristan Jarry may not fit that bill, but in the current market, Pittsburgh could potentially move on from him. They will certainly make the effort,” Johnston stated on June 23. “It will be interesting to see if Pittsburgh can find a suitable destination for Jarry in this environment.”
Jarry does possess a 12-team no-trade clause, giving him some control over potential trade destinations if Pittsburgh decides to proceed.
Last season, Jarry posted a record of 19-25-5 with a 2.91 goals-against average and a .903 save percentage for the Penguins. Drafted by Pittsburgh 44th overall in the 2013 NHL Draft, he has spent the last five seasons with the team.
Penguins columnist Mark Madden of Triblive also anticipates Jarry being traded this summer. Madden pointed out that the Penguins recently re-signed Alex Nedeljkovic to a two-year, $5 million extension on June 20, which Madden believes makes Jarry expendable.
“Nedeljkovic’s contract is reasonable at $5 million over two years. He’s a solid journeyman-level goaltender,” Madden commented in his June 21 article. “However, retaining Nedeljkovic creates a logjam in goal and prevents Joel Blomqvist’s promotion to the NHL…”
Madden highlighted Blomqvist, a 20-year-old drafted 52nd overall by the Penguins in 2020, who put up impressive stats in the AHL last season with a 25-12-6 record, 2.16 goals-against average, and .921 save percentage.
Regarding Jarry, Madden criticized Penguins’ general manager Kyle Dubas for extending his contract, citing Jarry’s inconsistency and lackluster performance in crucial moments.
“The Penguins extended Jarry last July out of familiarity, which is precisely why they shouldn’t have,” Madden argued. “Jarry’s play this past season was predictable: indifferent, particularly when Nedeljkovic claimed the starting role down the stretch. The Penguins were displeased with his response, or lack thereof.”
Madden concluded, “Jarry, at 29, has not proven himself in pivotal situations. He is prone to critical errors, such as his costly turnover in double overtime that led to a playoff loss to the New York Islanders in 2021. Despite his eight years with the Penguins, he has yet to win a playoff series and remains inconsistent.”
In summary, the Penguins are actively exploring trade options for Jarry amidst concerns over his performance and the emergence of promising young goaltenders in their system.
