Following some early-season struggles for one of the higher-paid netminders in the NHL, Tristan Jarry ($5.375 million cap hit) has been assigned to the American Hockey League (AHL). It’ll be a conditioning loan for the 29-year-old of the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The Penguins have assigned goaltender Tristan Jarry to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (AHL) on a conditioning loan. pic.twitter.com/tRCiuivpBz
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) October 26, 2024
Not only has Jarry been overtaken by his backup this season (Alex Nedeljkovic), but the third-string rookie (Joel Blomqvist), too. Why? In three starts, Jarry has a .836 save percentage and 5.47 goals-against average. His last appearance was on Oct. 16—he allowed three goals on five shots before being yanked in the opening frame.
The nail in the coffin was seemingly Blomqvist’s resilience against the Edmonton Oilers on Oct. 25, the night before this decision was made. The 22-year-old stopped 46 of the 50 shots he faced. Even if he lost, he has been too good to send to the AHL. So, Jarry was instead—it was only fair for all parties involved.
Related: Penguins Recall Alex Nedeljkovic From Conditioning Loan in AHL
Maybe there’s a world where Jarry regains his confidence with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the AHL, but it won’t be as easy as it sounds. The 260-game veteran of the NHL will have to adjust to a new environment, which could lead to some hiccups here and there. Hopefully, this can help him prosper and earn his job back. At 3-5-1, the big-league Penguins could certainly use his services when he’s at peak efficiency.
