Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry. Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Penguins goalie is officially in Mike Sullivan's doghouse

By Tyler Miller | Last updated Oct 22, 2024 12:07 AM ET

Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry is quickly losing the net for the team. Once the season-opening starter against the New York Rangers, he has quickly turned into being a healthy scratch.

Backup goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic started the previous game against the Winnipeg Jets, which the Penguins lost 6-3. Jarry was not dressed.

Third goaltender Joel Blomqvist was the backup to Nedeljkovic and, fast forward to Monday's practice, Jarry was not taking shots from his teammates, according to Salim Nadim Valji of TSN Sports.

At Pittsburgh Penguins practice, it looks like Tristan Jarry is the odd goalie rotating in. Joel Blomqvist and Alex Nedeljkovic taking most reps
— Salim Nadim Valji (@salimvalji) October 21, 2024

There are two issues with Jarry and both are glaring. The first is that his contract is $5.375 million for the next four seasons. His contract is purely untradeable so the only way to get out of playing Jarry again is to put him on waivers. This was suggested by NHL insider Elliotte Friedman on his 32 Thoughts podcast.

Friedman on Jarry/Pens (32TP): "I wondered if they were going to put him on waivers on the weekend, they obviously didn't, they've looked to see what the market is, it's tough right now because he has struggled"
— NHL Watcher (@NHL_Watcher) October 21, 2024

The second issue is that every time he is in goal, he lets in more goals than he should. His glove hand is a weakness, his blocker is a weakness, his five-hole is a weakness. There appears to be no way that Pittsburgh can play him again this season with stars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin still wanting to win.

Head coach Mike Sullivan described healthy scratching Jarry this way.

Mike Sullivan said that Tristan Jarry didn’t dress yesterday in Winnipeg because it was part of a plan to get him going through additional time on the ice with goalie coach Andy Chiodo.

Jarry presumably got in a pretty good workout with Chiodo the morning of the game.
— Matt Vensel (@mattvensel) October 21, 2024

To the naked eye, this is purely saying that he is going to skate for the team and be available if he is absolutely needed. But Nedeljkovic and Blomqvist can handle the workload for the Penguins.

Jarry needs to go down to the AHL and see if he can figure it out because right now, there is no way the Penguins coaching staff can trust him in goal.

Tyler Miller

Tyler Miller is a sports journalist with a degree from Georgia Southern University. In addition to Yardbarker, he writes for College Football Dawgs.

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