Penguins scratch their top-paid G Jarry in loss to Jets
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Tristan Jarry watched from the press box Sunday as the Pittsburgh Penguins lost 6-3 to the Winnipeg Jets.
The Penguins elected to start the recently recalled Alex Nedeljkovic, who was previously on an AHL conditioning stint, and dress Joel Blomqvist as his backup. Jarry has not played since being pulled after allowing three goals on five shots against the Buffalo Sabres last Wednesday in a game the Penguins came back to win 6-5 in overtime.
On the early season, Jarry is 1-1-0 , but with a .836 save percentage and a 5.47 goals-against average. He's in the second season of a five-year contract that carries a cap hit of $5.375 million, fifth-highest on the Penguins.
Nedeljkovic, signed through next season at a $2.5 million salary, made 31 saves in Sunday's loss. Captain Sidney Crosby pointed to defensive issues being behind the five goals the 28-year-old netminder allowed before Winnipeg added an empty-netter.
"I thought we did some good things," Crosby said, per NHL.com. "Obviously we're just giving too much up. I think we can't give up what we've been giving up and expect to win consistently. Defensively we've got to find another level."
“They’ve got some high-powered offensive guys that can make you pay for it, and they did just that,” Nedeljkovic added. “They got a couple bounces as well. All in all, we played fine, but obviously not good enough to win.”
Jarry awaits next start
It's unclear when the Penguins will turn back to Jarry, who went 19-25-5 last season with a .903 save percentage and a 2.91 GAA.
The 29-year-old is a veteran of 260 career games, owning a record of 137-86-25 with a .911 save percentage and a 2.72 GAA.
“It’s still so early in the season. There’s so much runway in front of us,” Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan said when asked about Jarry on Saturday, per the Post-Gazette. “ ... These players, they’re human beings like the rest of us. They go through stretches where maybe their confidence isn’t at the level it needs to be. We try to work with our guys in that regard, also. When players struggle at any position, my experience is you can be your own biggest obstacle. You gotta find a way to get out of your own way. ...
“These guys care an awful lot about what’s going on out here, and a lot of times, it’s that care that weighs on them.”
Blomqvist, who entered in relief of Jarry in the win over the Sabres, then started Friday's 4-1 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes, stopping 35 of the 39 shots he faced.
The 22-year-old native of Finland is 2-2-0 this season in his first career NHL action with a .908 save percentage and a 3.16 GAA. The 2020 second-round pick would not require waivers to be sent to the AHL, unlike Jarry and Nedeljkovic.