Penguins Trade Rumors: A Pittsburgh Goaltender On Trade Block

Of all the problems the Pittsburgh Penguins are having thus far this season, goaltending is certainly not one of them, as they rank fourth in the NHL in both goals against average and save percentage.

But according to insider Elliotte Friedman on Hockey Night in Canada Saturday night, among the trade pieces being discussed by teams in talks with the Penguins, he pointed to their charges between the pipes.

One position I do think people have started to ask about, and the Penguins will consider, is goal. They’ve got (Tristan) Jarry and (Alex) Nedeljkovic at the NHL level. They’ve got a really good prospect in Joel Blomqvist, who’s having a good year in the American Hockey League. And a couple of teams have suggested to me that you might want to the list of goalies who could be moved someone in Pittsburgh.

Jarry, 28, has finished top seven in Vezina balloting twice, and this season, in 37 games, holds a 15-17-4 record with an NHL-leading six shutouts, along with a strong .916 save percentage and 2.49 goals-against average. He just signed a five-year extension this past summer with a $5.375 million cap hit. It's got four more years to run.

Nedeljkovic, in his first season in Pittsburgh, has made 17 starts, and has a 9-4-4 record, with a .915 Sv%, and 2.67 GAA. 

Former second-round pick (2020 Draft, #52 overall) Joel Blomqvist is having a tremendous year down in the AHL, with a mark of 16-8-5, a .918 save percentage, and a 2.17 goals-against average for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. It would be a surprise to see the 22-year-old prospect dealt if the team is looking "to get younger" as GM Kyle Dubas emphatically stated at a media conference earlier this week. 

Photo: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports