Penguins’ Casey DeSmith emerging as one of NHL’s top backup goalies
Casey DeSmith’s jersey number (No. 1) is as reminiscent of hockey from a past generation as his height (6-foot) and weight (181) are.
DeSmith’s path to the NHL, to borrow a cliche, also came the old-fashioned way: He earned it. Undrafted, DeSmith toiled in the American Hockey League before finally making the big-time at age 27.
Now a few months shy of his 30th birthday, DeSmith has put behind him another demotion back to the AHL for all of last season. With four goals against in five starts this month, DeSmith’s spot with the Pittsburgh Penguins appears as secure as ever.
“It feels really good,” DeSmith said Thursday night after a 36-save shutout of the Buffalo Sabres. “It’s special. Obviously last year was not what I drew up in my mind but just tried to work hard down there, stick with it and be a good teammate and stuff like that. Now that I’m back up here, I’m kind of reaping the benefits of the hard work that I put in.”
Despite proving himself as NHL-caliber (2.66 GAA, .917 save percentage) while making a half-season’s worth of starts for the Penguins from 2017-19, DeSmith was the odd man out on the NHL roster when last season began.
Eight months after the Penguins rewarded him with a $3.75 million contract, DeSmith was sent to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, largely because Tristan Jarry would have been exposed to waivers if he was sent down.
Jarry was chosen as an NHL All-Star that season, leading to the trade of Matt Murray in October 2020. That left DeSmith again as the No. 2 for this season, even if he had put up mediocre numbers (2.92 GAA, .905 save percentage) in the AHL.
“He’s a more polished goaltender (now),” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. “He’s learned from the experiences. He knows what to expect. His work habits are terrific. And as a result, he’s a more mature goaltender. He reads plays better. I’m sure he has a quiet confidence about him now because he’s played in the league now for a number of years.”
With Matt Murray jettisoned via trade in October, Casey DeSmith once again is inhabiting the NHL team’s backup gig he held in 2018-19. https://t.co/icWereHOmu
— Tribune-ReviewSports (@TribSports) January 10, 2021
DeSmith said he put the coronavirus pause to good use, fine-tuning his game and specifically working on a former weakness: puck-handling.
“Then just being comfortable around the team and having a lot of close buddies on the team,” DeSmith said. “That always helps.”
The affable DeSmith is popular in the Penguins locker room, and he has developed a strong relationship with Jarry.
The trajectories for both this season have mirrored each other. Each struggled over the first month. Jarry’s save percentage was .850, DeSmith’s .885. The Penguins through Feb. 13 had the NHL’s worst save percentage (.865) and fourth-worst goals-against average (3.67).
Since, they have the league’s best save percentage (.934) and second-best GAA (2.05).
“All three of us (including goaltending coach Mike Buckley) knew the tide would turn eventually,” DeSmith said. “(Jarry) and I knew we’re good goalies. (Buckley) has worked hard with us, and he knows we’re good goalies, as well. … We just had to stick with it.”
Jarry’s play has improved, cementing his status as a franchise goalie. But a strong No. 2 is a necessity, particularly during this condensed schedule. DeSmith has proven his worth in March with a 4-1-0 record, 0.80 GAA, .972 save percentage and two shutouts in five outings.
For the season, per naturalstattrick.com, DeSmith has the third-best save percentage at five-on-five of any goalie who has played at least 500 such minutes (.942). DeSmith also ranks seventh in five-on-five save percentage on “high-danger” shots (.861).
“Casey is a real solid goaltender,” Sullivan said, “and obviously his performances as of late are an indication of that. I just think he’s a more mature goalie at this point through all the experiences he’s been through.”
Note: The Penguins shuffled around their depth goalies in roster moves announced Friday, reassigning Emil Larmi to the taxi squad and Maxime Lagace to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Forward Justin Almeida was also reassigned to the AHL affiliate.
Chris Adamski is a TribLive reporter who has covered primarily the Pittsburgh Steelers since 2014 following two seasons on the Penn State football beat. A Western Pennsylvania native, he joined the Trib in 2012 after spending a decade covering Pittsburgh sports for other outlets. He can be reached at cadamski@triblive.com.
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