CAN JARRY BE TRADED?

Here's an excerpt from a Trib column I wrote after the Penguins re-upped goalie Alex Nedeljkovic to a two-year deal worth $5 million:

If Joel Blomqvist and Nedeljkovic were the Penguins’ goaltending tandem, that would be competent and cheap. It creates room to spend elsewhere.

So, the Penguins have to trade Tristan Jarry. That’s the only way keeping Nedeljkovic computes. Like Donnie Iris.

Re-upping Nedeljkovic is likely a sign that president of hockey ops/GM Kyle Dubas feels he can swap Jarry.

It won’t be easy. Goaltending has become a largely generic position in the NHL. Jarry carries a cap hit of $5.375 million through 2028. That’s too much, too long. There won’t be great demand. (Then again, New Jersey just traded a first-round pick and a regular defenseman to Calgary for netminder Jacob Markstrom, 34, who has no discernible talent beyond being 6-foot-6.)

The Penguins extended Jarry last July because he was the devil they knew. Which is exactly why they shouldn’t have.

To read the entire piece, click HERE.

When July 1 arrives, the only goaltenders to play 40 or more games last season that will hit unrestricted free agency will be Ilya Samsonov and Cam Talbot. Neither is a gem.

Markstrom and Darcy Kuemper (Washington to Los Angeles) have already been traded. Rumors swirl about swaps involving Anaheim's John Gibson, Nashville's Juuse Saros and Boston's Linus Ullmark.

There seems to be a market for goalies. Perhaps there will be a market for Jarry.

If I'm Dubas, I'd be willing to retain $1.375 million of Jarry's salary. It would be worth it to open up $4 million of cap space.