If Tristan Jarry is out long-term, what goalies should the Pittsburgh Penguins pursue on the trade market?
The Pittsburgh Penguins took more than a loss in the 2023 Winter Classic. They also lost starting goaltender Tristan Jarry to a lower-body injury. Jarry's status and return date are unclear, forcing the Penguins to recall Dustin Tokarski from the AHL in the interim.
Should Jarry miss an extended amount of time, the Penguins will need to think long and hard about acquiring a replacement for a playoff push. Here are a few goalies around the league that the Penguins could have interest in.
The "Starters" Group
1. Jake Allen- Montreal Canadiens
The 32-year-old netminder was acquired by the Montreal Canadiens to back-up Carey Price, but due to injuries and missed time, Allen has found himself as the starter this season. The Canadiens are struggling again this season and still in the growing pains of a rebuild. Allen is struggling as well, with a losing record of 9-15-1.
Despite the struggles, Allen is a veteran capable of handing a large workload. He has a career save percentage of .910 and goals against average of 2.66 per game. He's also a player that could easily slot to the back-up role when Jarry returns and shouldn't have too high a cost to acquire.
2. Karel Vejmelka- Arizona Coyotes
If the Penguins were to make a bigger trade, it would be for Karel Vejmelka of the Arizona Coyotes. The 26-year-old , right-handed catching netminder, is one of the lone bright spots in the desert this season. Vejmelka currently has an 11-11-4 record, with a 3.23 GAA and .906 save percentage, quite impressive numbers given the Yotes score less than three goals a game and give up over 3.5. He carries a cap hit of $2.725 million for the next two seasons, and would require a larger return from the Penguins
3. Cam Talbot- Ottawa Senators
Of the goaltenders available, Cam Talbot of the Ottawa Senators is the best option. Even at 35-years-old, Talbot is still a solid starter in this league. He's started 20 games for the Senators this season, with a 10-9-1 record, a 2.74 GAA, and a .911 save percentage. He's been a huge part of the reason the Senators are a game over .500 currently.
The Penguins would have to part with a second round pick and prospect at least to make this trade happen.
Split the Net with Casey DeSmith
1. Kevin Lankinen- Nashville Predators
With the Penguins limited cap-space and expendable assets, they'll most likely have to look for cheaper options who can split the net with Casey DeSmith until Jarry returns. Kevin Lankinen, the back-up to Jusse Saros in Nashville, could be a great fit.
Lankinen is a 27-year-old netminder who has experience backing up and starting, as he started 32 games for the Chicago Blackhawks in 2021-22. This year, he's only got in nine games as the back-up but posted a record of 3-4-1 with a 2.91 GAA and .907 save percentage. He could certainly help guard the net in the interim, and would cost a minimum to acquire. As a bonus, he only carries a cap hit of $1.5 million on an expiring contract.
2. James Reimer- San Jose Sharks
Perhaps the best overall option for the Penguins to look into is veteran James Reimer, currently with the San Jose Sharks. The 34-year-old journeyman has played all over the league and enjoyed a .912 career save percentage. In 21 games this season with the Sharks, he's 7-11-3. While not the most impressive statistical season of his career, Reimer would bring a calm steadiness to the Penguins net in Jarry's absence.
Reirmer is in the first of a two year contract that carries a $2.25 million cap hit and would most likely cost a second or third round draft pick or a higher-level prospect to acquire.
The Penguins have an interesting decision to make. If Jarry misses an extended amount of time, does coaching trust a tandem of DeSmith and Tokarski? Or do they feel the need to bring in another goalie? If they go the trade route, expect some of these players listed above to get more buzz about being a Penguins trade target.
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