Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry will be out week to week with a lower-body injury, head coach Mike Sullivan announced this morning. The injury is confirmed to be a broken bone in his foot, and he is week-to-week.
Coach Sullivan on Jarry: “The only information that I have right now is that he is out with a lower-body injury and his status is week-to-week.”
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) April 16, 2022
Tristan Jarry Injury Clouds Pittsburgh’s Future
Jarry is twenty-six years old and has had a solid season in the Steel City. He has a 34-18-6 record with a 2.42 goals-against average and a .919 save percentage. MoneyPuck also has him ranked 10th in goals saved above expected, right there with some of the best in the game. This will undoubtedly be a tough loss for the Penguins as they battle the Washington Capitals for third place in the Metropolitan Division.
While Jarry is on the sidelines, Casey DeSmith will be the Penguins’ starter. DeSmith is an average backup goaltender with an 8-4-5 record, a 2.94 GAA, and a .906 SV%. Even though DeSmith is a capable backup, he will have to be more than serviceable for the Penguins to succeed down the stretch.
The Penguins Moving Forward
If the Pens keep their current position in the Metro, they will have to face a young and hungry New York Rangers team that has given them fits throughout the year. According to Stat Muse, Pittsburgh is 1-3 against New York this season with the lone victory being a shutout win by the now-injured Jarry at home. However, if Washington claims the third-place spot in the division, the Penguins will have to play one of the best teams in the league, the Florida Panthers. No matter the opponent, the Pens need Tristan Jarry back as soon as possible if they want to make one more run with the Crosby-Malkin core.
The Penguins hope that Casey DeSmith plays well enough to make the loss of their starter less of a burden. Since the timetable on Jarry is week to week, DeSmith could be the starter for only a few games or well into May. Whatever situation the Penguins may face, they need great play from their man in net to compete in a stacked Eastern Conference.
Main Photo: Embed from Getty Images
