Penguins Rookie Goaltender Should Stay In the NHL

It was a rough weekend for the Pittsburgh Penguins and, more specifically, goaltender Joel Blomqvist. The rookie netminder allowed seven goals on 32 shots between two games.

Blomqvist has suffered his share of struggles since the Penguins recalled him from the AHL one month ago. In five games, four of them starts, he has failed to register a win and has only stopped 84 percent of the shots he has faced.

His performance, and that of the defense in front of him, has many wondering whether it would be best to return him to the AHL this season. The answer is no.

The Penguins organization has emphasized the importance of consistent playing time for its exciting crop of young goaltenders. It's why stellar rookie Sergei Murashov will likely remain in the ECHL this season and why Filip Larsson has received most of the starts in the AHL since returning from injury.

Blomqvist should be given the same opportunity at the NHL level.

Alex Nedeljkovic started eight of the final 11 games before the 4 Nations break, primarily due to his excellent stretch of play and Mike Sullivan's penchant for "playing the hot hand."

However, Nedeljkovic appeared significantly cooled off in his first taste of action on Saturday, which should open the door for a more balanced split of starts between him and Blomqvist moving forward.

An uptick in opportunity will serve Blomqvist well. It would allow him to better adjust to the speed of play in the NHL, especially behind the Penguins' porous defense. He wouldn't be the first Penguins goalie to do so.

Marc-Andre Fleury played behind a much worse team as a rookie in 2003-04. His stats mirror those of Blomqvist's this year, and while Fleury had much higher pedigree as a first-overall selection, the point prevails.

Blomqvist needs to play to continue improving. The NHL will give him the best opportunity to do that consistently, even if it's behind a struggling defense.