Welcome to the annual post-Steelers season, maybe-there-is-hope-with-the-Penguins mailbag.
We have officially reached the dog days of the hockey season. The Penguins, well, at least they’re not boring.
Thank you for all of the sensational questions. They’re so good, we’re doing two mailbags this month.
Away we go.
GO DEEPER
Penguins’ Malkin says his home was burglarized, Stanley Cup rings missing
Tristan Jarry was drafted in 2013. Why haven’t the Penguins moved on from him? — Half of my readers
Understandably, Jarry’s talent seduced the Penguins for a long time. He’s a top 10 NHL goalie in terms of physical gifts. He’s big, athletic and handles the puck beautifully. There’s nothing he can’t do physically, which is why the Penguins have been so patient. Jarry hasn’t been some sensational bust. He made two NHL All-Star games.
But … he’s been in the organization longer than Tom Barrasso was, and yet, there’s still this sense of waiting for him to develop more and find consistency.
Jarry turns 30 in three months for heaven’s sake. I’m not saying he can’t find his game, and for his sake, I hope he does. But I don’t think we’re going to see a better version of him with the Penguins than the inconsistent goalie we’re seeing now. He is what he is and it’s past time to move on. The problem is that his contract may not allow it.
Why don’t either Sergei Murashov or Joel Blomqvist get a shot in net? Ned and Jarry aren’t doing this roster any favors trying to secure a wild card position. — @Nathan_lewy
Simply put, the Penguins don’t want to carry three goaltenders. It’s awkward for everyone. It stunts development for younger goalies. It robs at least one goalie of practice time. It’s a salary cap issue. It’s a roster spot issue.
So, I understand why GM Kyle Dubas and coach Mike Sullivan aren’t big fans of having three.
That said, the best Penguins goalie this season isn’t playing in the NHL. That’s a problem.
Are the Pens actively tanking by continuing to roll out Jarry and Ned? — @robertpacelli
No, they are not. Their hands are tied. I assure you they’d trade Jarry if they could. I would think the same is true of Nedeljkovic. Both are overpaid for what they’re bringing to the table.
Instead of Four Nations, would a redux of the World Cup of Hockey have been a better idea? There’s a lot of talent missing from this tournament. — @cgibson724
The whole tournament is flawed and invalidated because Russia isn’t involved.
I’ll still watch. I’m a hockey snob if ever there’s been one. It will provide great hockey, so I’m in.
I realize what’s going on in the world. I get it. But to keep Russia out is madness to me.
If Russians can’t participate in the Olympics next year, it will rob Alex Ovechkin and Evgeni Malkin of playing for their country one last time. That’s a shame, in my opinion.
At least five of the best goaltenders in the world are Russian. Many of the best players are Russian. If Russia can’t compete in these tournaments, it’s not a battle of the best. So, what are we doing here? I don’t like it.
Since this year’s product is what it is, let me ask you one from the past. What was the biggest reason that the Derrick Brassard trade ended up bombing for the Pens? — @cmupensfan
Well, it didn’t totally bomb. He was OK, but just OK. Remember, the Penguins and Capitals were locked in a 2-2 series tie in 2018 and the Penguins led Game 5 in Washington, 3-2. Then, Kris Letang played the worst period of his life. The Penguins lost that game and the series. If they won that series, I believe they would’ve won the Cup for a third straight year. And the narrative would be so different.
That said, Brassard had a sizable ego and wasn’t huge on the idea of playing third-line center. I’m not sure who he thought he should replace on the top two lines.
GO DEEPER
Yohe’s 10 observations: Penguins conclude disastrous homestead in style
What’s your favorite personal Sidney Crosby story that you can share? What’s your favorite west coast road game to cover during the season? — @skiab94
Last question first: I enjoy Anaheim so much. Downtown Los Angeles isn’t for the faint of heart. San Jose isn’t for anyone. Vancouver is great, but the Pacific Northwest is its own world, and I haven’t been to Seattle enough to properly rank it.
I just enjoy Anaheim. Traffic isn’t bad. Weather is great. Everyone is friendly. You’re a mile from Disneyland if the mood hits you and less than two hours from San Diego if the mood really hits you. The ocean is nearby (I’m a beach person). The Honda Center is nothing special but is simple enough to deal with.
I have so many Sid stories that I should write a book. I’ve probably told them all in mailbags over the years. But sometimes, to capture his essence, you have to tell minor tales that help you appreciate the man.
One time, I think in 2013, I was covering a preseason game at Joe Louis Arena, which was a dump beyond imagination. The Penguins were walking to the team bus. Sid had a bottle of water in his hand and was walking past a garbage can. Suddenly, he turned around and sprinted. Why? Because he didn’t want to throw his empty bottle into the trash and remembered that, 100 feet earlier, he’d walked past a recycling bin. I commented that it was environmentally decent of him to show such hustle.
“Right thing to do,” he said.
Mike Sullivan has coached under four general managers: Jim Rutherford, Patrik Allvin, Ron Hextall and Kyle Dubas. What’s the NHL record? — @slf66
I don’t know, but I loved this question and I’m going to research this. Stay tuned. Ha.
Do you have any Gary Rissling stories? I’ve heard from my dad that he was the most entertaining thing about pre-Mario Pens games. — @andrewtrapp
I was born in 1980. He last played for the Penguins in the 1984-85 season. So, no. Ha ha. But I know he was a legendary character.
Do you have a sense that Dubas will speak with GMs around the league to get a dialogue going about Erik Karlsson at the deadline so he has a better layout of buyers for the off-season? — @RRevine
GMs always talk about players and publicize certain things when they feel it can be helpful. I’m sure he’ll consider trading Karlsson if he gets a reasonable offer. That said, Karlsson is playing so much better at the moment that the trade with San Jose hardly feels like a disaster. Rather, it’s upgraded to merely a disappointment.
What jersey does Marc-Andre Fleury have on when he goes into the Hockey Hall of Fame? And does he sign the one-day deal to retire a Penguin? — @cammiebuckeye29
I don’t know about the one-day deal thing. Those are kind of stupid, right? But anyway, he’ll go in as a Penguin. As he should. No doubt.
If Pens know they’re not going to sign Marcus Pettersson, why wait until the deadline? Competitive or not, this team should be sellers, and filling the holes with younger/WBS talent. That’s not giving up, it’s being practical/logical. Won’t you get more value by trading now? — @Td412Crew
Well, who’s to say? What if two opposing defensemen get injured on March 3 and they’re out for the year? Suddenly, it’s four days until the deadline. Maybe you start a bidding war for Pettersson and get more in return then. It’s a guessing game, really.
Do you expect any of Karlsson, Noel Acciari, Matt Nieto, Kevin Hayes or Nedeljkovic to be dealt at the deadline? — @MichaelCole034
No, no, no, no, no.
Oh, they’re all possibilities, but given their contracts and, in Nieto’s case, his overall play, I can’t imagine there’s much of a market for any of these guys. If Ned starts playing better, however, I could certainly see him going.
How good can Blake Lizotte be? Am I crazy to think he looks like he could be a good 3C? — @CBbA614C
I think he’s a very good fourth-line player, but I don’t know that he’s a whole lot more. Not knocking him. Nice player. But that goal-scoring binge wasn’t going to continue.
(Photo of Sidney Crosby: Bruce Bennett / Getty Images)
