The Pittsburgh Penguins are making a move to try and help their embattled goal tender. Pittsburgh is sending goalie Tristan Jarry to the AHL, per the team's social media. Jarry struggled in net this season for the Penguins, who have underachieved on the campaign so far.
Jarry is going to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton team, on a conditioning loan. Pittsburgh is 3-5-1 on the season, and struggling to find an answer on defense. The team is using several different goal tenders in net to try and pick up some momentum.
This season, Jarry has appeared in three games. He's allowing a whopping 5.47 goals per contest.
Penguins need to find an answer quickly on defense
Pittsburgh is looking to make a return to the postseason, but the season is already on the wrong track. Penguins veteran center Sidney Crosby says the entire team has to play better.
“It's not our goalies. It's on us to play better in front of them. We're giving up odd-man rushes,” Crosby said on Monday, per The Athletic. “We're not getting clears. Look at the game-winner. I lose the faceoff. Then I don't get my guy. And it ends up in the back of the net. We can't keep giving up five or six goals a game if we want to win.”
The Penguins are working with goalies Joel Blomqvist and Alex Nedeljkovic at time of writing. The Penguins have allowed a total of 39 goals so far this campaign, while only posting 27 goals.
Pittsburgh's front office says they still believe in Jarry, but he has to perform better.
“In the end, it’s going to be on Tristan to put the work in and find his way through it,” Penguins president Kyle Dubas said, per the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “I believe he will do that. And I believe he’s too talented to completely give up on. I’m excited about the challenge of helping him get back to form and excited to see our coaching staff and Tristan work together to push him there.”
Pittsburgh next plays the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday.