This is the 11th installment in a series of profiles of members of the Penguins' major-league roster, as listed alphabetically on the team's website. There will be one each weekday until all players have been addressed.
TRISTAN JARRY
Age: 24
Size: 6 foot 2, 194 pounds
Position: Goalie
Acquired: Second-round draft choice, 2013
Salary-cap hit: $675,000, through 2019-20
2018-19 NHL stats: 0-1 record, with a 3.50 goals-against average and .887 save percentage in two games.
How he fits: It's far from certain that he will, at least at this point. With training camp approaching, Casey DeSmith still appears to be the favorite to back up Matt Murray this season. And because Jarry no longer is waiver-exempt, the Penguins might well try to trade him rather than risk losing him for only the waiver fee by sending him to their Wilkes-Barre/Scranton farm team before the regular season begins.
Shortcomings: He's largely unproven at this level, with just 29 NHL appearances on his resume, and his laid-back personality has led some to question, fairly or otherwise, how hot his competitive fires burn at times.
Strengths: Jarry, who has had success in both major-junior and the American Hockey League, is athletic and has a good glove. He also has demonstrated a knack for reading plays and does not seem to get flustered in high-stress situations, a positive manifestation of his demeanor.
Hidden variable: Jarry's performance during his first three seasons in pro hockey leaves little doubt that he's worthy of having a chance to cash NHL paychecks. The real issue, though, might be whether his development would be best-served by getting an occasional start against better competition as an NHL backup or by playing the bulk of the games in the AHL.
2019-20 expectations: If Jarry is with the Penguins during the 2019-20 season, he'll be counted on to perform at least at the level DeSmith did as the backup last season, and possibly even give Murray a bit of a challenge for the No. 1 job.
The big questions: Will Jarry still be on the Penguins' depth chart when training camp opens? And if he is, will he still be in the organization -- let alone on the major-league roster -- for the start of the regular season?
All profiles to date can be found here.
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