It has long been accepted in hockey circles that a lot of goalies are, well, different.
And while the differences in personalities and quirks that can distinguish them from other players generally aren't as pronounced as they once were, goalies remain a fairly novel breed.
Given the nature of their work -- they not only put their bodies in front of hunks of frozen vulcanized rubber traveling in excess of 90 miles per hour, but try desperately to do it as much as possible -- that probably shouldn't be surprising.
Neither is the reality that, given the demands of their position, attempting to keep their skills sharp during the NHL's extended shutdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic might be even more challenging for them than for most of their teammates.
When the only ice to which goaltenders have access is floating in a glass, there just aren't many ways to hone skills, let alone reflexes, to the degree needed during games.
"I don't think I've ever been off the ice this long before," Tristan Jarry told a conference call Tuesday. "A lot of people haven't been in this circumstance. Alex (Trinca) and Alexei (Pianosi), our strength and conditioning coaches, have put together some programs for Matt (Murray) and Casey (DeSmith) and me, so that's something we've been doing with them, working on our hand-eye (coordination)."
Jarry has had a breakout season in 2019-20, his first full one in the NHL. He is 20-12-1, with a 2.43 goals-against average and .921 save percentage.
Jarry essentially has split the workload with Murray, appearing in 33 games while Murray has played in 38.
That's significant, because Murray was the clear No. 1 going into the season.
Jarry, though, had a strong training camp and has performed with the consistency that team officials had wanted him to develop during his time in the American Hockey League
"That was a big thing they wanted me to improve on (while) playing in Wilkes-Barre, being consistent, night-in and night-out," he said. "That was something I wanted to improve on, as well.
"Being able to do that at the NHL level and have a little bit of success has helped me a lot. I think it's helped me to be motivated to come to the rink every day and get better and helped me to practice at the highest level possible. It's been a lot of fun for me this year."
It should prove to be profitable for him, too, because like Murray, Jarry will be a restricted free agent this summer, and figures to receive a significant increase from his current salary of $700,000.
But even though it's quite possible that his next deal will be worth less than it might have been if not for the league-wide loss of revenue caused by the pandemic, Jarry insisted that he isn't concerned about what his future paychecks will look like.
"The biggest thing for me is just staying prepared and making sure I'm able to do what I can when the season resumes," he said. "We're still fighting for a Stanley Cup, and I think ... that's going to be the mindset from me and everyone on our team, that we want to win the Stanley Cup."
Jarry said he has been in contact online with Murray and goaltending coach Mike Buckley, who has provided guidance on how to "work on parts of our games that we might not have been able to during the season. ... I think that will help us come back stronger."
If hockey returns this spring or summer, it isn't clear which goaltender the Penguins will count on to help carry them toward a championship.
Although Jarry and Murray both crave that role, they remain close on a personal level, which Jarry believes benefits each of them.
"Being able to be friends off the ice, that helps when you're battling for a spot, and competing every night," he said. "Being able to push each other and have different insights -- he's always helping me, and he's able to take ideas from my game that I think can help -- that improves both of our games."
To continue reading, log into your account:
