Penguins Committing to Prospect Goalie at NHL Level

The Pittsburgh Penguins are ready to give their top goalie prospect another chance at the NHL.
Oct 25, 2024; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Joel Blomqvist (30) follows the play against the Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Place. Mandatory Credit: Perry Nelson-Imagn Images
Oct 25, 2024; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Joel Blomqvist (30) follows the play against the Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Place. Mandatory Credit: Perry Nelson-Imagn Images / Perry Nelson-Imagn Images
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After a long stretch with not much success, the Pittsburgh Penguins announced that they are placing starting goalie Tristan Jarry on waivers. The Penguins have just two wins since coming back from the Christmas break and Jarry has been struggling to capture and maintain leads.

According to Penguins president and general manager Kyle Dubas, if Jarry clears waivers he will be sent to their American Hockey League affiliate, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, for the second time this season. In the meantime, Dubas says the Penguins plan on giving 23-year-old prospect netminder Joel Blomqvist another long look at the NHL level.

Blomqvist started the 2024-25 season on the Penguins NHL roster and proved to be worthy of a regular role in the lineup. In eight games played, Blomqvist has a 3-5-0 record with .904 save percentage and 3.60 goals against average.

Jarry, meanwhile holds an 8-7-4 record with a .886 save percentage and 3.32 goals against average. Backup Alex Nedeljkovic isn’t much better with a 7-7-4 record, a matching .886 saver percentage, ad 3.40 goals against average.

According to Dubas, the Penguins wanted to give Jarry plenty of runway after his first stint in the AHL this season, but there hasn’t been much to write home about. Dubas also opened up to say that he tried trading Jarry over the offseason, but nothing came to be.

Blomqvist has been playing extremely well with the WBS Penguins with a 6-4-2 record in 12 games played with a .912 save percentage and 2.93 goals against average.

The Penguins are still in the playoff hunt, but quickly losing steam. Jarry hasn’t done much to help since signing a five-year deal worth $5.375 million annually. It was Dubas’ first summer as Penguins president and general manager, and it still stands as one of the worst deals he signed that summer.

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