Penguins A to Z: Casey DeSmith gets his old job back
While the NHL is on hold because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the Tribune-Review will offer Penguins A to Z, a player-by-player look at all 48 individuals under NHL contract with the organization, from mid-level prospect Niclas Almari to high-profile trade acquisition Jason Zucker.
Casey DeSmith
Position: Goaltender
Catches: Left
Age: 28
Height: 6-foot
Weight: 181 pounds
2019-20 AHL statistics: 41 games, 18-18-2 record, 2.92 goals-against average, .905 save percentage, two shutouts
Contract: Second year of a three-year contract with a salary-cap hit of $1.25 million. Pending restricted free agent in 2022.
Acquired: Undrafted free-agent signing, July 1, 2015
Last season: The 2019-20 campaign was a double-edged sword for Casey DeSmith.
On one hand, he was making a seven-figure salary for the first time in his career. Considering DeSmith began his professional existence at the ECHL level on a tryout basis with the Wheeling Nailers in 2015, the notion of him pulling in a financial figure with two commas was nothing insignificant.
At the same time, his ample paycheck was the reason he spent the entire season, virtually, in the AHL.
When the Penguins gathered for training camp in September of 2019, DeSmith was thrust into open competition with Tristan Jarry for the backup gig behind starter Matt Murray.
By any measure, DeSmith and Jarry each held serve during the 2019 preseason. As a result, Jarry and his $675,000 salary cap hit stayed on the NHL roster.
While Jarry eventually became the starter for stretches of the season and even earned a nod as an All-Star, DeSmith was assigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, spending five and a half months on buses before the AHL’s season was halted in mid-March because of the pandemic.
Serving as a starting goaltender for the first time since his final season in the NCAA level with New Hampshire in 2013-14, DeSmith played admirably for an underwhelming Baby Penguins team that struggled to remain in the playoff picture most of the season. In November, DeSmith was selected as the AHL’s goaltender of the month when he put up a 7-1-0 record along with a 1.60 goals-against average, a .951 save percentage and two shutouts.
An embarrassing episode occurred in early January when DeSmith briefly was recalled to serve as the team’s backup goaltender for a road game against the Montreal Canadiens in a transaction intended to allow Jarry rest for a home game the next night. But he misplaced his passport and was not able to make the trip.
When NHL resumed play for a postseason tournament in August, DeSmith was included on the Penguins’ postseason roster but never dressed.
The future: With Murray now a member of the Ottawa Senators, Jarry is the starter and DeSmith once again has the backup job, a role he aptly inhabited during the 2018-19 season.
As one of the smallest goaltenders in the NHL, DeSmith relies on quickness and agility far more than a larger goaltender. And as a favorite of goaltending coach Mike Buckley, he has the trust of management.
Assuming it happens, the 2020-21 NHL season will be condensed in some form and likely will include several games on back-to-back days. That will mean the Penguins will have no other option but to trust DeSmith.
Seth Rorabaugh is a TribLive reporter covering the Pittsburgh Penguins. A North Huntingdon native, he joined the Trib in 2019 and has covered the Penguins since 2007. He can be reached at srorabaugh@triblive.com.
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