PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – You could imagine the embarrassment. Signed to a -five-year, $26.875 million contract as part of new GM Kyle Dubas’ first big signing, to being put on waivers January 16. Now Pens goalie Tristan Jarry is back and playing some really good hockey.
“It was tough,” Jarry said after a 3-2 overtime win over Las Vegas on Tuesday. “It was a tough time for me. It was something that I had to work through and I think it was something that I needed to look at myself in the mirror and say I have to have a better game.”
“Just going down (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton), working hard and working on my game was a big help for me. Obviously, I had a lot of support so I think that helped a lot. Coming back here, I wanted to put my best foot forward and show the Penguins that I could do it.”
“I thought he was the difference in the game tonight and the game against Minnesota also,” said Pens head coach Mike Sullivan. “He has that ability when he’s playing to his capability. He just looks big in the net. The vantage point I get from the bench, you just don’t see a whole lot. That’s usually a sign he’s playing a confident game. He’s big in there. He’s tracking pucks. He’s playing with confidence. He has a calm demeanor. His handles have been simple and efficient. I thought he was spectacular.”
Jarry said the big thing for him was to just let it all go. The struggles over this current season. The disappointment of last year and previous injuries.
“I kind of went down there to (Wilkes-Barre/Scranton with) a free mind and just play my game,” Jarry said. “Coming back here, it’s been something that I’ve been able to accomplish is just working at my craft every day in practice and then when I get an opportunity to play, making sure I’m prepared for it.”
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Jarry stopped 36 of 38 shots against the top team in the Pacific Division and the fourth highest scoring team in the West. This is a game after 29 saves on 30 shots against a Minnesota team currently in playoff contention.
“It’s big,” Jarry said. “It’s big for the whole team. When we can string a couple of wins together against two really good teams, I think that helps us. The guys are playing really hard. We’re blocking shots when we need to, getting pucks out. And I think we’re scoring goals at timely, timely fashions. That helps a lot. Obviously, for my confidence, it helps just as it would for everyone.”
The 29-year-old has had good stretches before. He’s been an All-Star and showed enough to get that big contract. So how does he end this season playing at this level to either get back in the Pens plans or potentially have done enough to be of value to another team.
The key for Jarry is just to continue with that free mind.
“Over my time that I’ve been playing in the NHL, I think I played a lot of good hockey and I want to continue that,” Jarry said. “Just keeping it going, making sure my practices are sharp, making sure my mental game is sharp. When all of that is together, I think it helps me a lot.”