More than anyone, the Penguins know the value of having two quality goaltenders in today’s NHL.
Each of the past two springs the Penguins won Stanley Cups behind Matt Murray and Marc-Andre Fleury, perhaps the most formidable goalie duo in recent memory.
But if the playoffs were to begin today — relax, they don’t — the Penguins would have Tristan Jarry in net and Casey DeSmith backing him up. That pair, which started the season in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, has a combined four NHL starts and a not-so grand win total of two (Jarry was credited with his second victory after entering in relief for an injured Murray against Philadelphia on Monday).
Given that, Jim Rutherford might want to be in the market for an experienced goaltender, if he wasn’t already.
Though Rutherford told our Matt Gajtka on Wednesday that he was “not actively trying to do something” in regards to adding a goalie, the veteran GM isn’t about to tip his hand, either.
“We’ll watch it close, but we’ll go with our two young guys who haven’t played a lot of NHL games,” Rutherford told Gajtka. “Jarry’s played well for us, and he’s a very capable goalie. We’ll just keep an eye on it, how long Murray’s going to be out, how the goaltending’s doing, how the team’s doing.”
It’s been reported that Murray could miss anywhere from 2-4 weeks, which puts the Penguins in quite a predicament.
In a best-case scenario of two weeks, Rutherford may opt to stand pat. With the Penguins at home — after Friday night’s game in Buffalo — for the next two weeks, Jarry has a chance to solidify his roster spot as Murray’s long-term back-up. Playing five of six games in a non-hostile venue with only one back-to-back situation (this weekend) is a chance for Jarry to gain some confidence in the NHL.
The Penguins have to be encouraged by what they’ve seen so far. Jarry authored perhaps the Penguins’ best, if not most unlikely, win to date, stopping 33 of 35 shots in last week’s 5-2 win over NHL-leading Tampa Bay to snap a three-game skid.
If nothing else, Jarry showed two things: First, he can win games after suffering non-regulation losses in his previous two starts, and, second, he isn’t Antti Niemi.
“As we’ve learned here in the games that’s he’s played for us, he keeps things even keel,” Bryan Rust said of Jarry. “His ability to make the big save is key. He brings a lot of confidence, the thing that kind of radiates through our whole lineup.”
However, if Murray is out for four weeks, that’s when things get a little dicier. The Penguins play 14 games in December, and though they hold a playoff spot, they do so by a razor-thin one-point margin.
What to do?
Dumpster diving through the list of unsigned veteran free agents isn’t very encouraging. The most intriguing name in that group:
• Justin Peters: The 31-year-old spent seven years in the league, five of them with Carolina, but played three games last year for Arizona. With a career 3.01 goals against average and .908 save percentage, Peters is currently plying his trade in the Deutsche Elite League.
Though trades are rarely consummated in November and December, despite what Rutherford is saying publicly, the Penguins could look to deal for a veteran goalie. Among the potential goalies who could be available:
• Andrew Hammond: A folk hero in Ottawa during the Senators’ 2014-15 playoff run, Hammond was dealt to Colorado last month as part of the Matt Duchene trade. The 29-year-old Hammond is coming off hip surgery and is 6-2-1 with a .921 save percentage with Belleville (AHL).
• Curtis McElhinney: The 34-year-old has lasted a decade in the league with six teams. McElhinney is 2-2 (.900/3.00) this season serving as Frederik Anderson’s backup in Toronto. If not McElhinney, the Leafs have a glut of goalies in the AHL who could be viable options. That list includes Calvin Pickard and Garret Sparks. Pickard spent the previous three seasons with Colorado going 28-44 with a .914 save percentage and 2.77 GAA.
• Robin Lehner: The Penguins will get a firsthand look at the 26-year-old this weekend against Buffalo. Lehner is 5-11 with a .906 save percentage and 2.92 GAA on a Sabres team that is going nowhere.
Given Murray’s injury history, which includes missing the first 11 games of last year’s Cup run, there are valid concerns about his durability. Even if Mike Sullivan disagrees.
“Injuries are part of the game,” Sullivan said Tuesday after Murray was placed on IR. “Matt’s a young guy. He’s only going to get stronger, only going to get more durable with each game that he plays. I think he’ll be fine.”
Whether Murray is back in two weeks or a month, the Penguins will have a decision to make.
In the meantime, it appears it is Jarry’s net to lose.