Does Penguins' Tristan Jarry have case to make Canada's Olympic team?

Sidney Crosby isn’t the general manager for Canada’s Olympic men’s hockey team.

He’s merely the captain.

But his endorsement can sway the decisions of those who assemble the roster.

The gold medal his former linemate, Chris Kunitz, owns from the 2014 Olympics in Sochi is evidence of that.

So while the Penguins captain isn’t openly campaigning for any of the current Penguins to be selected for the upcoming tournament in Beijing, he did give a thorough endorsement of one teammate when asked in Toronto last week.

Tristan Jarry.

“I see him every day,” Crosby said Saturday of the Penguins goaltender. “He’s pretty solid. I wouldn’t want to be the person that has to make those decisions. He’s solid in there. He’s played great hockey. That’s part of it too, is playing good hockey at the right time. He’s done that for us.”

The notion of Jarry being selected for the traditional favorite to win the gold medal and at a position that is so highly scrutinized might seem absurd on the surface. After all, he’s all of six months removed from succumbing to the pressure of the New York Islanders in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

How would he do against Sweden in the medal round?

But in reality, Jarry has emerged as a viable candidate for a spot with Canada’s Olympic roster less than two months into the campaign.

There are two reasons why.

First, he’s played really well. Arguably, he’s the biggest reason this team is even in a playoff position despite so many absences for medical-related woes, particularly because of covid-19. Having thus far avoided any malady, Jarry has played in 16 of 19 games this season and has a 9-4-3 record along with a 2.03 goals-against average, a .933 save percentage.

“A ton of confidence,” Penguins forward Bryan Rust said following Wednesday’s 4-1 home win against the Vancouver Canucks. “You could see him back there challenging shots, playing great, reading plays. His rebound control has been phenomenal. That kind of just helps us kill plays in our (defensive) zone. Any time we can do that, I think that helps our team. He’s been phenomenal.”

That leads to the second reason Jarry, a native of Surrey, British Columbia, has a case for Beijing. It would be a stretch to suggest Canada has a surplus of phenomenal goaltending at its disposal right now.

Unlike previous Olympic tournaments where Hockey Hall of Fame-caliber goaltenders such as Patrick Roy, Martin Brodeur, Roberto Luongo or Carey Price were able-bodied and ready to claim gold, there is no clear favorite to be Canada’s top goaltender this season.

Price, the Montreal Canadiens icon, has yet to play or even practice this season after spending time in the NHL’s player assistance program for substance-abuse treatment.

AP

Goaltender Carey Price led Canada to a gold medal during the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.

On Monday, Hockey Canada general manager Doug Armstrong said Price, who was in net for Canada in 2014, would be the starter in 2022 but offered a considerable caveat during an interview with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.

“There’s things that are so much more important than playing hockey, and he’s going through some of those things right now,” Armstrong said. “And if he gets his game up and wants to come and he’s playing to that level, he’ll be the guy again.”

Olympics rosters must be submitted at an unspecified date in January. So Price, provided he is well physically and mentally, has time to eliminate any rink rust and secure his spot as “the guy.” It’s very possible but hardly guaranteed.

The only other superstar Canada could turn to in net would be former Penguins goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, who won gold as a reserve during the 2010 tournament in Vancouver. Now a member of the beleaguered Blackhawks, Fleury has served as little more than target practice this season.

After winning the Vezina Trophy as the league’s top goaltender with the Vegas Golden Knights last season, Fleury has played in 13 games this season and has a 5-8-0 record, a 3.06 GAA, a .912 save percentage and one shutout.

After that, there’s a substantial drop-off.

Philadelphia’s Carter Hart, who trains with Jarry in the offseason, has slightly inferior numbers than Jarry this season. In 12 games for the Flyers, he has a 5-4-3 record, a 2.39 GAA, a .928 save percentage and one shutout.

St. Louis’ Jordan Binnington, who led the Blues to that franchise’s first Stanley Cup title in 2019, has been solid as well. Appearing in 14 games, he is 7-5-2 with a 2.79 GAA, a .914 save percentage and one shutout. Oh, by the way, Armstrong is also the Blues’ general manager.

Cam Talbot of the Minnesota Wild and Darcy Kuemper of the Colorado Avalanche are among the league leaders in wins (10 and nine, respectively), but their save percentages (.909 and .905, respectively) are a bit on the lean side.

Arguably, the only Canadian-born goaltender who has out-performed Jarry this season is journeyman James Reimer of the San Jose Sharks, and he’s done it while serving in a platoon with Adin Hill. Reimer has played in 10 games this season and has a 6-3-1 record with a 2.04 GAA and a .936 save percentage.

A number of things can happen between now and when the Olympic rosters are due. Jarry could hit the skids. Price could make a triumphant return to his nonpareil form. Fleury could continue to improve, as he has following an early-season coaching change. Talbot could set a modern-day record for shutouts for no reason whatsoever.

Looming over all of this is the possibility the NHL does not participate in the Olympics whatsoever. The league has a deadline of Jan. 10 to pull out of the games should covid-19 disrupt the regular season schedule substiantially.

But if performance this season is the primary consideration for who makes Canada’s roster, Jarry has certainly provided Armstrong and company plenty to consider thus far.

“(Jarry is) playing with confidence, and we have all the confidence in the world in him,” Penguins forward Jake Guentzel, a candidate for the United States’ team, said recently. “We’re happy for him. Just to see the way he’s playing, it’s pretty special.”

Note: The Penguins canceled practice Thursday.

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