Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Ron Hextall is in. fora busy week. Hextall inked Kris Letang to a six-year extension before the NHL Draft. He then met with reporters to discuss the Penguins current off-season plans. While the Pittsburgh Penguins have been making plenty of decisions regarding the skaters in the lineup, what does the future look like in net? Tristan Jarry is entering the final year of his contract and many have wonder about his future with the Penguins. Various sources across hockey have said he is everywhere from a top five to 15 goalie in the NHL and should be a new focus for the team. According to general manager Ron Hextall, he and the Penguins have a lot of faith in Jarry and is impressed with his recent bounce back in the playoffs. “I think the fact that Jars bounced back from pretty tough circumstances… and had a very good year for us,” Hextall told 93.7 the Fan's Morning Show. [https://www.audacy.com/937thefan/podcasts/the-fan-morning-show-277/ron-hextall-1514577005] “We have a lot of trust in Jarry. We feel very comfortable with our goaltending.” Jarry arguably had the best year of his young career in 2021-22 putting up a 34-18-6 record while reaching a .919 save percentage and goals against average of 2.42. The 34 wins and 2.42 GAA are both career bests along with four shutouts. Had Jarry not been injured for a majority of the opening round loss to the New York Rangers, the Penguins could have been telling a different story in the playoffs. Goaltending was a difference maker in the series and Jarry could have changed the fortunes. If Jarry is able to maintain his momentum in net, the Hextall and the Penguins need to focus on keeping Jarry in Pittsburgh for a few more years. Only at the age of 27, Jarry has a bright future ahead and the potential to be a top goalie in the NHL. Despite being a former goalie himself, Hextall says that doesn’t necessarily give him an upper hand when discussing net minders. “The position is so much more refined,” Hextall said. “They play a lot different than they did back in my day.” It may be a different game from Hextall’s time, but it will be up to him to make sure Jarry remains in Pittsburgh as his best years in net are still ahead of him. Make sure you bookmark Inside the Penguins [http://insidethepenguins.com/]for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns and so much more! Jeff Petry Personifies What Penguins Needed on Defense [https://www.si.com/nhl/penguins/pens-talk/jeff-petry-personifies-pittsburgh-penguins-needed-defense] Former Penguins Still Available on the Free Agent Market [https://www.si.com/nhl/penguins/pens-talk/several-former-pittsburgh-penguins-remain-free-agent-market] Penguins Shuffling Deck Chairs on Defense [https://www.si.com/nhl/penguins/podcasts/pittsburgh-penguins-shuffling-deck-chairs-defense] Kasperi Kapanen Files for Salary Arbitration with the Penguins [https://www.si.com/nhl/penguins/news/kasperi-kapanen-files-salary-arbitration-pittsburgh-penguins] Ty Smith's Versatility Could Unlock Penguins Defense [https://www.si.com/nhl/penguins/pens-talk/ty-smith-versatility-unlock-pittsburgh-penguins-defense] * undefined * undefined
