The future in goal presents a difficult decision for the future general manager of the Pittsburgh Penguins headed into the 2023 offseason. Several options exist but with risks or high costs. On paper, extending Tristan Jarry, a 2013 second round pick by the team, makes sense, but a 2022-23 season filled with injury, including reports of a chronic hip condition, and a still unproven ability to win in the postseason makes extending the two-time NHL All-Star a bit of a gamble.
Longtime backup Casey DeSmith, signed through next season, looked inconsistent in 2022-23 and posted career lows in goals against average and save percentage. Third string goaltender Dustin Tokarski, a pending unrestricted free agent, posted okay numbers with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the AHL, but the journeyman goaltender offers no viability as a starting option and likely signs with another team in the offseason. None of the goaltending prospects in the pipeline appear to be close with a combined 48 games of AHL experience between Filip Lindberg, a pending restricted free agent, undrafted Taylor Gauthier, a 2022-23 offseason free agent signing, and Joel Blomqvist, a 2020 second round pick.
In the best case scenario, Lindberg, if resigned, needs at least another year of development and either Joel Blomqvist or Taylor Gauthier need at least two, more likely three. Sergei Murashov, a 2022 fourth round pick, likely needs four or five years.
A bridge contract for Jarry makes sense for the team, but Jarry likely wants to get paid–a possibility in free agency. If the Penguins and Jarry fail to sign a new contract, the team needs to look outside the organization for goaltending help.
Big Fish Targets
Two options worth exploring get the Penguins a bonafide a number one goaltender immediately, though, likely, at a high cost.
Thatcher Demko, Vancouver Canucks
With the Canucks set to rebuild, or at least retool, perhaps the the team tries to get some assets for a prime Thatcher Demko and turn over the net to Spencer Martin, at least for the interim. Demko, signed to a very manageable $5,000,000 cap hit for the next three seasons, went 14-14-4 in 32 appearances with a 3.16 goals against average and .901 save percentage in 2022-23–a drop off from the past two seasons mirroring the decline of the Canucks. Martin posted somewhat underwhelming NHL numbers, but good numbers in the AHL in 2022-23 and the year before. Additionally, prospect Arturs Silovs showed some promise at the AHL level and appeared in five NHL games. At 22 years old, the development of Silvos mirrors the timeline of turning the Canucks back into a contender over the next two or three seasons. The Penguins likely need to include one of Blomqvist or Murashov, some picks, and a roster player or prospect to get a deal done.
John Gibson, Anaheim Ducks
Rumors always seem to connect Pittsburgh-native John Gibson to the Penguins. With the Ducks firmly in rebuild mode and some solid goaltending prospects in the pipeline, perhaps moving on from Gibson now makes sense for both parties. Signed to a relatively manageable $6,400,000 cap hit for the next four years–about the amount of time remaining with the Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang core–Gibson instantly makes goaltending a strength for the team. Despite underwhelming with a 3.99 goals against average and .899 save percentage in 2022-23, Gibson remains one of the top goaltenders in the league. The Duck gave up nearly 40 shots per game, the highest in the league, in 2022-23. Goaltending prospect Lukas Dostal posted promising numbers in a handful of games for the Ducks with a .901 save percentage in 19 appearances, and former Penguins goaltending prospect Calle Clang likely joins the San Diego Gulls in the AHL next season. However, if the Ducks win the 2023 NHL Draft Lottery, perhaps the rebuild timeline moves up a year or two and the team elects to keep a sure thing in Gibson. Expect the Penguins to send multiple draft picks, a prospect or two, and likely a roster player to the Ducks to acquire Gibson.
Trade & Sign Targets
Slated to become restricted free agents at the end of the season, a trade and sign for a pair of goaltenders looking for a new opportunity looks like a viable option.
Mackenzie Blackwood, New Jersey Devils
A restricted free agent at the end of the season, Mackenzie Blackwood lost the starting job with the New Jersey Devils to Vitek Vanecek, and potentially the backup job to promising prospect Akira Schmid. With a 3.20 goals against average and .891 save percentage last season, moving Blackwood makes sense for the Devils and maybe a change of scenery helps the former second round pick get back on track. At 26 years old, Blackwood posted a sub-.900 save percentage the past two seasons, but a .915 save percentage in 2019-20 and a .918 save percentage the year before as a rookie. Probably a prospect and a later round draft pick gets a deal done for Blackwood.
Connor Ingram, Arizona Coyotes
As teams hope to find the next Linus Ullmark, perhaps Arizona Coyotes goaltender Connor Ingram, a pending restricted free agent, fits the bill. Though the numbers fail to jump off the page, Ingram played on one of the worst teams in the NHL in 2022-23, and the emergence of prospect Ivan Prosvetov potentially makes Ingram expendable with starting goaltender Karel Vejmelka signed through next season. Bouncing around a bit since being drafted by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the third round in 2016, Ingram posted a .907 save percentage in 2022-23 as a full-time NHL player for the first time. Though unproven, the former second round pick comes with some pedigree and solid numbers in the AHL.
Free Agent Targets
Joonas Korpisalo
Joonas Korpisalo posted good numbers on a bad Columbus Blue Jackets team last season and better numbers in a small sample size with the Los Angeles Kings after being dealt. However, a strong playoff performance with the Kings potentially prices Korpisalo out of the Penguins price range. Though only boasting a career .904 save percentage, Korpisalo spent several seasons on a relatively weak Columbus Blue Jackets team. Interestingly, in a very small sample size Korpisalo boasts a 1.90 goals against average and .941 save percentage in nine playoff appearances.
Martin Jones
Though a little older than all other options, Martin Jones brings value as a potential backup or 1A option and posted a 2.99 goals against average and .887 save percentage in 48 appearances with the Seattle Kraken in 2022-23. Like Korpisalo, Jones boasts good playoff numbers with a .917 save percentage and 2.37 goals against average in 62 games, including a .923 save percentage in 24 playoff games backstopping the San Jose Sharks to the Stanley Cup Final in 2016.