The Pittsburgh Penguins learned the hard way about the value of goaltending depth last postseason. With starter Tristan Jarry (right foot) and backup goaltender Casey DeSmith (groin) sidelined because of various injuries, they were forced to rely on reserve Louis Domingue in their first-round loss to the New York Rangers.

The charming Domingue offered a nice story when he revealed he ate spicy pork and broccoli during Game 1 of the series before replacing the incapacitated DeSmith in the second overtime period of a marathon contest the Penguins won 4-3 in three overtimes.

Domingue couldn’t offer enough in the way of results, however. Appearing in six games of the series, Domingue had a 3-3 record, a 3.65 goals-against average and an .898 save percentage as the Penguins lost in seven games.

Management opted to allow Domingue to walk as a free agent this offseason and replaced him with a somewhat familiar face in Dustin Tokarski, who signed a one-year contract worth $775,000 in July.

The 33-year-old spent the 2019-20 season with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on an American Hockey League contract. At the time, current Penguins goaltending coach Andy Chiodo was the organization’s development coach at the position and spent much of his time in Northeast Pennsylvania.

“Had a good chat with Chiodo in free agency,” Tokarski said. “They were pretty interested having me be a part of the group. The league has shown that it’s very beneficial to have three good goalies in the organization. Obviously, I know who else is here for goaltender. But I’m here to hopefully help and be a part of this group. Stuff happens. You saw injuries last year with (Jarry) and Casey. I hope they’re healthy. But at the same time, I’m good to play at this level and excited to be a part of this group.”

Tokarski’s comfort with Chiodo appeared to a primary factor in his determination to return to the organization despite having a challenging 2019-20 campaign with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

“I had a concussion in camp,” Tokarski said. “Then I broke my finger. And it was a (covid 19)-shortened year. So, I never really got in a rhythm. I think I played well (with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton). I think I only played 18 games.

“But I really, really appreciated and enjoyed the relationship with Andy Chiodo. That definitely led me back here, having a guy like him here.”

An eight-year veteran at the NHL level, Tokarski spent the past two seasons with the Buffalo Sabres. In 42 games over that span, Tokarski had a 12-20-7 record, a 3.35 GAA, a .901 save percentage and one shutout. Those aren’t figures that will make anyone a Vezina Trophy candidate, but they’re fairly sturdy considering he was with a Sabres franchise that has been one of the NHL’s worse for the past decade and change.

If Tokarski represents an upgrade over Domingue, that remains to be seen on the ice. But he has a pretty firm grasp of why the Penguins brought him back.

“I’m just going one day at a time,” said Tokarski, who also has played for the Tampa Bay Lightning, Montreal Canadiens and Anaheim Ducks. “I’m in the Pittsburgh Penguins’ camp right now. I played in the NHL the last couple of years. I’m a veteran guy so whatever role they need me to play, I’ll play. My goal right now is to focus on the exhibition season. We’ll see what happens in camp. We have some good young goalies, and I’ll definitely be a part of helping them succeed and being part of this group here.”

Notes: Forward Kasperi Kapanen resumed practicing Thursday in Cranberry after being sidelined for two days because of an illness. … Injured forwards Teddy Blueger and Jeff Carter remain “day to day” with undisclosed injuries, according to coach Mike Sullivan. Carter skated prior to Thursday’s practice for the first time since being injured during an intra-squad scrimmage Saturday.

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