The Pittsburgh Penguins goaltending situation is as unclear as it’s been in the Sidney Crosby era. Each game has changed the situation. Typical starter Tristan Jarry lost his starting role to back-up Alex Nedeljkovic down the stretch last regular season. Although he is being paid over $5 million per season against the cap, Jarry’s play has fallen since the beginning of the 2023-24 season. This season started once again with Tristan Jarry as the starting netminder. However, he quickly lost the crease to rookie Joel Blomqvist while Nedeljkovic was out with injury. Following his recovery, Nedeljkovic picked up where he left off last season, putting in solid performances for the Penguins team. Jarry was sent to the minors to work on his game. Meanwhile, Blomqvist and Nedeljkovic have been in a battle for the starter spot. However, the past week’s worth of games has offered clarity on the goaltending situation. This article will dive deeper into the likely next move for the Pittsburgh Penguins in regards to goaltending.
Alex Nedeljkovic Picks Up Where He Left Off
Following an 18-7-7 run last season, Nedeljkovic was rewarded by the Penguins with a 2-year contract sporting an average annual value of $2.5million per season. After starting this season on a conditioning stint following injury, Nedeljkovic finally appeared for the Penguins on October 20th against the Winnipeg Jets. Although he would start the season 0-2-1, Nedeljkovic has quickly recovered and won two straight with a .960 save percentage over those games. Similarly to last season, the goaltender needed some games at first to settle into his role. He similarly went 2-2-1 last season over his first five games with the team as well. However, for a team in desperate need of consistency, Nedeljkovic seems to be the best option for the Penguins.
Finishing 8-2-2 at the end of last season, the question with Nedeljkovic is whether or not he can string together solid performances for a longer sample size. He was once a young prospect with tons of potential for the Carolina Hurricanes. It seems the Penguins are hoping to unlock that potential. As head coach Mike Sullivan has explained he will ride the hot hand in net, the crease is currently Nedeljkovic’s to lose. He will play as the starter going forward this season unless it is battled away from him.
An Excursion to the Minors May Have Been Exactly What Tristan Jarry Needed
Long-time Penguins net-minder Tristan Jarry has been the subject of much controversy over the past few years. Playing as the team’s starter since the beginning of the decade, Jarry was rewarded with a five-year contract extension for $5.25m per season in the summer of 2023. Since then, Jarry has progressively lost trust within the Penguins organization. After a strong start to the season, Jarry would lose his last five appearances for Pittsburgh, and go 2-6-2 in his last 10 to end the season.
Beginning the season as the Penguins starter, Jarry was barraged by the New York Rangers offence. He would allow six goals on 40 shots. Jarry has pitched a lacklustre .836 save percentage in his appearances this season. Following this weak start, he was sent down to the AHL to regain his form. As it turns out, making this move may have been for the best. Jarry has gone 3-0 with a .937 save percentage thus far. With his inflated cap hit, Jarry needs to be playing in the NHL, and these games with Wilkes-Barre may be the key to regaining his confidence. With Nedeljkovic playing well, the best move would be for Jarry to get the backup role at the NHL level. Continuing to rehab his game is of paramount importance whether the goal is to keep or sell him to another team.
Joel Blomqvist Has Been Brilliant, However, Some Time in the Minors is Still Beneficial
Former second-round pick Joel Blomqvist has had a steady rise to the NHL. Following a successful career for Karpat in the Finnish Liiga, Blomqvist became the Wilkes-Barre starter for the 2023-24 season. Starting in 45 games, he went 25-12-6 with a .921 save percentage along with AHL All Star honours. This quickly shot up Blomqvist’s stock as he became known as a quality young goaltending prospect.
Blomqvist continued his excellence in the 2024-25 preseason, earning himself a backup role to start the regular season. With Jarry faltering and Nedeljkovic still injured, Blomqvist took his opportunity and ran with it. He would pick up a win against the Detroit Red Wings in his first NHL start. Since then, he has gone 2-4 with an impressive .909 save percentage. The Pittsburgh Penguins defensive systems have not done their goaltending any favours, yet Blomqvist has shown the ability to play above the quality of the defence. However, with Tristan Jarry likely to make his NHL return soon, the best move for Blomqvist’s development would be a return to the AHL as Wilkes-Barre’s starter.
Where the Pittsburgh Penguin’s Goaltending Situation Goes from Here
The goaltending situation of the Pittsburgh Penguins is far less bleak than it was a couple of weeks ago. Alex Nedeljkovic is signed for the next two seasons and has shown the ability to play in a tandem role. Tristan Jarry has some work to do in order to rehab his image. However, with a $5.25m cap hit, the Penguins organization will make this rehab a central focus of the organization. The best move with Jarry would be to help him regain composure and put up solid stats. This could make him an enticing trade option for another team. Finally, Joel Blomqvist is the future between the pipes for the Penguins. The rookie has already outdueled his competitors in regards to statistics. However, his youth and contract make him the easiest option to develop in the AHL. While he has shown the ability to stay at the NHL level, he will have to wait until next season to lock down a permanent role.
Main Photo Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
