Tristan Jarry hit the open market in NHL Free Agency with the chance to switch teams. A number of teams could have used his play in goal, and he was one of the best puck-stoppers on the market. However, he elected to return to the Pittsburgh Penguins on a five-year contract.
Normally when I do these contract grades, I go over the player's history in the NHL prior to signing the contract in question. In this case, I won't dedicate a section to Jarry's history in the league. The veteran goaltender has spent his entire career in Pittsburgh so far.
In seasons in which Jarry has started at least 20 games, the 28-year-old netminder has posted a save percentage north of .900 every year. His best season came in 2019-20 when he posted a .921 save percentage.
He has a solid track record over the last few years. Did he sufficiently cash in on that track record? How did the Penguins do in the deal, as well? Here's a deeper look at the five-year contract signed by Tristan Jarry and the Pittsburgh Penguins in NHL Free Agency.
Tristan Jarry signs with Penguins
For Jarry, this is an incredible contract. In fact, out of all the goalies to sign contracts in NHL Free Agency, Jarry received the highest payday. The second highest was awarded to Vegas Golden Knights puck-stopper Adin Hill. The Penguins goalie also received a modified no-trade clause in this contract.
Jarry knows the Penguins organization and what's expected of their players. He gets long-term stability, a nice payday, and a sense of familiarity on this contract with Pittsburgh. There isn't much to say about this deal from Jarry's perspective. In the end, he makes out incredibly well
Penguins sign Tristan Jarry
From the Penguins perspective, however, this deal is less ideal. Giving term to Jarry is fine, especially since you know the player better than any other organization in the league. If you're comfortable giving him five years, give him five years.
The main issue with this contract from Pittsburgh's perspective is the term. Jarry is incredibly talented, but he has durability issues. Furthermore, his track record in the playoffs is rather questionable.
At the end of the day, though, Pittsburgh didn't have many options. Frederik Andersen seemed set on returning to the Carolina Hurricanes, which he did. They could have swung a trade for John Gibson, but there are question marks there.
Perhaps a trade for Connor Hellebuyck could have worked out. But he is likely to seek a payday akin to that of Andrei Vasilevsky. And while Hellebuyck certainly deserves an elite-level payday, the Penguins probably shouldn't be footing the bill.
So the Penguins did what they essentially had to do. They gave longer-than-ideal term to Jarry, and perhaps paid him a bit more than desired as well. Maybe this looks better from their perspective in the future. For now, though, this contract doesn't carry the best look.
Grades and final thoughts
Tristan Jarry earns high marks for two reasons. He negotiated a modified no-trade clause, giving him control over his future. He also earned the biggest payday of any goaltender to sign a new contract in NHL Free Agency this summer. The Pittsburgh Penguins, however, receive an average grade. It's a move they needed to do given the lack of viable options on the market. But just because they needed to do this doesn't mean they made out well in doing so.
Tristan Jarry grade: A+
Pittsburgh Penguins grade: C+