Mark Madden: Tristan Jarry just can't be trusted to be available for Penguins

A lot can happen between now and the end of the Penguins’ season. But in the case of Tristan Jarry, it probably won’t.

Now, as he slogs through his fifth injury inside of a year, the Penguins must plan to cut ties with their goalie when his contract runs out at campaign’s end. Jarry’s body has let him down too often, and he’s let the Penguins down too often.

Does he have a chronic hip problem, as reported? Was he playing through injury from his most recent return up through his current absence, as many suspect?

The answers to those questions don’t matter. The most important ability is availability. Jarry doesn’t have it.

Jarry is obviously brittle. His injuries can come out of nowhere.

Jarry looked OK in finishing Wednesday’s 5-2 win at Colorado. But he couldn’t play Thursday at Dallas. One of his injuries somehow occurred between his participation in the morning skate and his arrival for that night’s game. Did Jarry slip in the shower?

Injuries aren’t Jarry’s fault. But when they occur so often, they’re not the team’s fault, either. He’s owed nothing.

Jarry hasn’t displayed much consistency when he’s been available this season. He played 13 games since returning from his latest injury, getting pulled four times. His goals-against average on the year is 2.98, which ranks 32nd in the NHL. His save percentage of .908 stands 21st. So, Jarry isn’t sparkling when he can play.

Does Jarry have good moments? Sure. Every goalie does.

But Jarry broke into the NHL in 2017, and he’s never truly established himself as a No. 1 goalie.

There have been too many injuries, too many failures, and he’s never won a playoff series. Heck, he’s only played in eight playoff games, going 2-6.

Jarry played in one full series, a 2021 first-round loss to the New York Islanders. Jarry did a lot to lose that series, not least an awful turnover in the second overtime of Game 5 that gifted the Islanders the game-winning goal and a three-games-to-two series lead.

Jarry made two All-Star thingies, but who cares? Small potatoes.

More Penguins news

• Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry sidelined with another injury
• Once again, peers vote Sidney Crosby NHL's 'most complete player'
• Perseverance pays off for Penguins defenseman Taylor Fedun

Does Jarry help you win? The answer is no, not enough.

The decision to let Jarry go is made easier when you consider he reportedly wants a six-year contract worth $6 million per. Perhaps those demands come down given recent circumstances, but Jarry shouldn’t be retained at any price unless it’s so meager that the Penguins have money to sign a co-No. 1 goalie.

That’s what was needed this season after goaltending shenanigans killed the Penguins is last year’s playoffs via the regrettable but necessary use of Mr. Spicy Pork and Broccoli.

But GM Ron Hextall stuck to his usual M.O. and did what was easiest and laziest, giving Casey DeSmith a two-year extension. Hextall should have given DeSmith a one-way ticket to Palookaville and got a better backup. A co-No. 1, as mentioned. Maybe trade for netminding help at the deadline instead of Mikael Granlund and his platform skates.

How did an ex-goalie let the Penguins’ goalie situation remain mangled? But that’s what Hextall does. He mangles. Hextall will get fired after the season, so what a new GM wants gets factored into the equation. But the new GM can’t do worse.

Jarry seems popular in the dressing room. But the franchise, after not winning a playoff series since 2018, has got to stop listening to the dressing room.

Short of Jarry staging a Superman comeback and winning a couple playoff series, he’s absolutely got to go. And he should probably go even if he does that.

Jarry simply can’t be trusted. More than anything besides mismanagement by Hextall, the goaltending situation is what’s flummoxed the Penguins’ season.