ing Welcome to another edition of NHL Rumours! We are in the month of November. The 2024-25 NHL season is about a month complete. We are getting an idea of who will be contenders and who will be sitting at home in the spring. Today, our rumour takes us to the 32 Thoughts podcast, where Elliotte Friedman is speculating about the future of a Pittsburgh Penguins defenceman and the condition of a former All-Star goalie.
NHL Rumours
Rumour: Marcus Pettersson and Tristan Jarry
Pettersson on the Block?
Friedman on 32TP says when it comes to the Penguins the big guys are not going anywhere, but wonders about a player like Marcus Pettersson, also Tristan Jarry and getting his play back to NHL calibre.
— NHL Watcher (@NHL_Watcher) November 1, 2024
On his podcast, Friedman talked about how the Penguins would approach any possible trades. The Penguins are 4-7-1 on the season. Things have not clicked. As a result, it looks like the Penguins will be missing the playoffs for a third season in a row. While there is still time for the team to turn it around, it makes sense that some may wonder how the Penguins may view possible trades. After all, the Pens did trade forward Jake Guentzel last season. Could another big name be on the move this year?
Friedman believes the “big guys are not going anywhere.” From this, we can assume players like Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang are not being moved. However, this does not mean everyone on the Penguins is safe from being traded. Specifically, Friedman mentioned defenceman Marcus Pettersson. This does make a lot of sense. Pettersson has been a reliable defenceman in his career. He would be an asset to a contender team. If the Penguins are deciding to shop Pettersson, they will have plenty of suitors.
Pens Hoping Jarry Returns to Form
Jarry, a two-time All-Star, came into the new season looking to prove he was still the number one for the Penguins. Three starts and 12 goals later, Jarry was sent to the American Hockey League. However, the Penguins did set a timetable for his possible return to the NHL. His demotion was for conditioning, and the Pens set it to last two weeks.
In two starts in the AHL, Jarry is 2-0 with a .922 save percentage. Jarry is certainly off to a hot start. It will be interesting to see how he does in his other starts during this conditioning assignment. However, regardless of how well he plays in the AHL, a big question will remain and it is the question Friedman had as well. Can Jarry return to his regular, All-Star form when he returns to the NHL?
The Penguins thought enough of Jarry to give him a five-year extension in 2023. Since then, Jarry has struggled between the pipes. If the Penguins do want to turn their season around and avoid being sellers at the trade deadline, Jarry needs to return to form. If he returns to the NHL and continues the struggle, the Penguins will have multiple decisions to make. Will they have to pull the plug on the Jarry era in Pittsburgh and try to unload the contract? What will it cost them to get a team do take that on?
Falling Dominoes
Between the two players we have talked about in this edition of NHL Rumours, Jarry seems to have the biggest impact on the direction this Penguin season goes. If he can return to form, it could prevent the Pens from having to sell someone like Pettersson. Jarry is the first domino that has to fall for how the Penguins access their path this season. The question is, which way does the domino fall?
In 2009, Marc-Andre Fleury put the Penguins on his back and willed the team to winning the Stanley Cup. In 2016 and 2017, Matt Murray did the same as the Penguins won back-to-back Stanley Cups. Now, here we are in 2024. The fate of the Penguins season may lie once again with another goaltender. How will this end in Pittsburgh?
Main Photo: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images
