{"id":139654,"date":"2023-08-11T09:00:36","date_gmt":"2023-08-11T13:00:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/?p=139654"},"modified":"2023-08-10T23:58:24","modified_gmt":"2023-08-11T03:58:24","slug":"the-current-state-of-the-pittsburgh-penguins-goaltending","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/2023\/08\/11\/the-current-state-of-the-pittsburgh-penguins-goaltending\/","title":{"rendered":"The Current State of the Pittsburgh Penguins Goaltending"},"content":{"rendered":"

In most cases, every NHL team finds long-term success based on the play of their goaltender. This stage is the biggest in the playoffs, with every goal, game, and series mattering more than the last. A goalie can steal a game -and sometimes even a series -that propels that team into the next round. Needless to say, the goalie position is not one in which a team can afford lacklustre play. <\/span>Today we take a look into the Pittsburgh Penguins goaltending situation.<\/p>\n

Assessing the Penguins Goaltending<\/h2>\n

The Penguins goaltending situation underwent a change. It\u2019s important to note because it may prove to be the team\u2019s Achilles heel as we head into this upcoming season. With prior backup Casey DeSmith<\/a> being shipped to the Montreal Canadiens, that puts even more pressure on current starter Tristan Jarry<\/a>. The blockbuster trade<\/a> that was initiated on July 6th left the Penguins more exposed at the position. This leads us to the current state of the 2023-2024 Pittsburgh Penguins goaltending.<\/p>\n

The Back Up<\/h3>\n

Alex Nedeljkovic<\/a> is listed as the current backup in the depth chart. He was drafted 37th overall in the 2014 NHL Draft by the Carolina Hurricanes<\/a>. He showed impressive play during his time in Carolina. It also helped that be benefitted from a robust defence backing him up on the blueline. During his 4 seasons with Carolina, he boasted a .928 SV% and maintained a 2.01 GAA. In addition, he had 29 games played with the Hurricanes, he went 17-7. The beginning of his career appeared to show much promise. He was confident, flashed a quick glove, and was able to settle within the Carolina system.<\/span><\/p>\n

Time in the Motor City<\/h4>\n

This is where the Penguins goaltending situation gets tricky. When he was traded to the Detroit Red Wings<\/a> in 2021, things took a turn. He was expected to be the Red Wings starting netminder. He went from manning the starting position in the 2021 NHL playoffs to splitting his time between the NHL and AHL in the 2022-2023 season. In his 2 seasons with the Red Wings, he played in 74 NHL games. In those 74 games, he went 25-31 with a .900 SV% and a 3.35 GAA, which was most definitely a drop-off from his tenure in Carolina. However, it\u2019s also important to keep in mind the Red Wings defensive performance as a whole.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Detroit ranked among the bottom overall teams defensively this past season. They were the middle of the pack on penalty killing at 78.1 percent, allowed 30.44 shots per game. They also allowed 275 goals last season resulting in an overall GAA of 3.35 for the team. The Red Wings just weren\u2019t as defensively sound as Carolina. That, and the change of system, could have caused Nedeljkovic\u2019s struggles. After his disappointing 2022-2023 season, he would get the opportunity for a fresh start in Pittsburgh, signing with the Penguins on a one year \u201cprove it\u201d contract.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Bottom Line<\/h4>\n

Overall, my analysis of Nedeljkovic is that he is a walking question mark. This fits in with the sentiment towards the netminder he is backing up. The Parma, OH native showed flashes of \u201cstarting goalie\u201d quality play in Carolina. Then, there is the fact that he struggles behind an equally struggling defense; he’s unable to be the goalie that \u201csteals\u201d a game and take over control of a game under his own accord. <\/span><\/p>\n

One factor that he has going for him is that the Pittsburgh Penguins just bolstered their blueline with the recent acquisition of superstar defencemen, Erik Karlsson. Playing behind a more consistent blueline, given the fresh start, and a change of scenery might be the boost he needs to improve his game. <\/span><\/p>\n

There is potential in Nedeljkovic. But that\u2019s all it is at the moment. Potential. Until that potential is realized -if it\u2019s realized- it is uncertain how his time in Pittsburgh will go. He just doesn\u2019t bring enough to the table to feel confident he can be a strong backup in the net for Jarry. And, depending on how Jarry fares, that relief may be much needed for the Penguins between the pipes.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Starter<\/h2>\n

Consistency is the keyword for Jarry\u2019s performance in the 2022-2023 season. This past season, he had played 47 games despite dealing with a nagging injury. In those 47 games played, he put up a .909 SV% with a 2.90 GAA.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Tristan Jarry says ABSOLUTELY NOT. pic.twitter.com\/h9EZsQgylJ<\/a><\/p>\n

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) February 9, 2022<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n