Tim Benz: Injury could prevent Tristan Jarry from silencing year-long playoff narrative

For Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry, it must hurt on many levels.

Not just the physical pain of his foot injury.

Not just the emotional toll of missing out on the start of the playoffs after turning in an All-Star season.

The hurt is about next season, too. Knowing that when 2022-23 starts up, he likely still will be answering the same questions about the horror show that was the 2021 first-round playoff series against the New York Islanders.

So much of what 2022 was supposed to be about for Jarry was geared toward erasing that memory and putting those questions to bed.

For the most part this year, Jarry did everything he could to march a straight path en route to that finish line. A second All-Star season. Four shutouts. Eighth in the NHL in save percentage (.919). Sixth in goals-against average (2.42).

That was nice to see for Penguins fans. It built up some goodwill. But it also just bought time until the ultimate test: Can that solid play translate to the postseason after what happened in 2021? That six-game Eastern Conference first-round flop when he had an .888 save percentage and allowed 3.18 goals per game.

To say nothing of one of the most horrific gaffes in Penguins postseason history.

STEAL. SCORE.

The @NYIslanders WIN GAME 5 in DOUBLE OVERTIME! #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/fEV4mJaKlO

— NBC Sports Hockey (@NBCSportsHockey) May 25, 2021

Now, because of some bad luck April 14 — against the Islanders, of course — Jarry won’t have the opportunity to make all of that go away. At least not immediately.

That’s when Jarry suffered his injury. His timetable for recovery has been dubbed “week to week” by coach Mike Sullivan.

It’s been two weeks already. If the Penguins are one-series-and-done in the playoffs again for a fourth straight year, Jarry’s hangover from that brutal experience against the Islanders in ’21 will carry all the way through the offseason.

And through the next regular season. And into next year’s playoffs, too.

If the Penguins qualify for a 17th straight season in ’23. That’s not a given if, as expected, some combination of Kris Letang, Evgeni Malkin and Bryan Rust leave via free agency.

“He’s having an incredible year,” center Teddy Blueger said of Jarry. “It’s tough to see. It’s tough to see anyone go down. … We’ll be there for him to keep his spirit up. Hopefully, he’ll come back and have a chance to play more this year.”

What’s worse is that, even if the Penguins can extend the season, Jarry may not get a chance for playoff retribution. After all, what if the Penguins play well in his absence? What if Jarry’s week-to-week diagnosis lasts another two weeks or so, and the Penguins are somehow able to pull off an upset in the first round?

Are they really going to yank Casey DeSmith off the ice to put Jarry back in? Or is Jarry going to have to be relegated to the role of dutiful backup after injury as Marc-Andre Fleury was to Matt Murray in 2016?

Let’s be honest. Sullivan and the Penguins would kill to be faced with such a “problem.” In fact, calling that eventuality a problem is almost laughable to suggest for a franchise that has lost its last four playoff series.

“We have capable people in all of the positions, Casey being one of them,” Sullivan said. “Tristan obviously has had a terrific year for us. He is a very good goalie. We are excited he is part of this group. He has grown a lot this year. I think he has learned a lot from his experiences. We’ll see where that takes us.”

For his part, DeSmith empathizes with Jarry. Having missed the playoffs last year with an injury, he wasn’t available to be called upon if the team tried to shake things up given Jarry’s struggles against the Islanders.

“I went through that last year,” DeSmith said. “Getting hurt at the end of the season. Missing out on some playoff time. He is week to week. We don’t know what is going to happen. I feel for him after the year that he has had. He has been fantastic from start to finish. I obviously hope he is back. I wish him nothing but the best.”

As the regular season dragged through March and into April, Jarry’s stout play wobbled a bit. He lost five straight decisions between March 29 and that April 14 win against the Islanders when he got hurt. But Jarry’s teammates still saw a goalie who was ready to make a positive difference in the playoffs before suffering his injury.

“We definitely feel for Tristan,” forward Jeff Carter said. “He’s had a heck of a year for us. He has been the backbone of our team. I’m sure he was looking forward to getting back in there (for the playoffs).”

Unfortunately for Jarry, for the time being, he’s forced to rehab and watch games from the press box.

That is perhaps the most distasteful outcome possible. Strangely, even if he had failed to play better in this year’s playoffs, that would’ve been better. At least he would’ve gotten the chance. If this injury keeps him sidelined until next season, his playoff purgatory could last another 12 months. Or even longer.

That may be the harshest result possible.