WINNIPEG — It was very peculiar, all of it.
At noon on Sunday, two hours before game time in Winnipeg, Mike Sullivan met with the media. The Pittsburgh Penguins coach always meets with the media two hours before puck drop when his team has an afternoon game. Every time.
And every time, Sullivan announces his starting goaltender.
Only this time, he didn’t.
Sullivan, in a fairly serious tone, acknowledged the three goaltenders on his roster and on the Penguins’ road swing through Western Canada. He said he wouldn’t reveal his hand and everyone could wait until puck drop to see which goaltender plays.
The more interesting aspect was which goaltender backed up Alex Nedeljkovic on Sunday.
No one in their right mind would have expected Tristan Jarry to start in Winnipeg given how poorly he has played. Sullivan knew that if he answered the question of which goaltender would start, the natural follow-up question — I had it ready — was which goaltender would back up Nedeljkovic.
The answer, of course, was impressive rookie Joel Blomqvist.
Sullivan wouldn’t bite.
The Penguins are going out of their way to handle Jarry’s feelings. Jarry is 29, and coddling him might be counterproductive. Still, Sullivan has Jarry’s back, which is admirable.
Sullivan gave Jarry the start on opening night against the Rangers. He gave him another start against Buffalo last week, 48 hours after Jarry secured his one victory in Montreal. It was painfully evident at the time that Sullivan was trying to boost Jarry’s confidence. So, the first time the goalie played a decent game, he was given a second start to build off it. Instead, Jarry completely bombed against the Sabres. He didn’t make it out of the first period. He gave up a goal on the game’s first shot, again. He turned the puck over. He looked slow. He looked disengaged.
Sullivan said several times during training camp that Jarry was in the best shape of his life and that the coaching staff was pleased with his level of conditioning. Anything to have Jarry’s back and to send positive vibes.
Now, the situation has changed. Sullivan essentially demoted him to third string against the Jets.
So, what does it all mean?
The Penguins don’t really have a plan.
That’s not an insult. Sullivan just wants to win. To ride the hot hand. To let the No. 1 goalie establish himself over time so that no one is guessing. Jarry can be that guy if he wants, but he has to prove himself in game action, and there is precious little evidence that the coaching staff believes in him.
This is a very different approach for Sullivan. In the past, he would have shown patience alongside his legendary stubbornness. Not this season. Not by a long shot.
Jarry has already been on the bench in three of seven games. Until he shows real signs of improvement in practice, we won’t see him in a game.
Michael Bunting was a healthy scratch on Sunday and, while he hasn’t played nearly as determined as he did last season, his banishment to the press box came as a surprise.
Jack St. Ivany has been benched numerous times. So, too, has Ryan Shea.
I would imagine the struggling Ryan Graves could be next.
Sullivan is changing his approach. I suspect his patience is up. That’s what happens when you miss the playoffs for two straight seasons. Good performance is going to be rewarded with more playing time. Sullivan isn’t worried about his job, but he is worried about the Penguins.
• I would fully expect Bunting to be back in the lineup sooner rather than later. The healthy scratch was simply a wake-up call for him.
• Don’t be shocked to see Graves scratched soon in favor of a St. Ivany-Shea pairing. It’s the only reasonable third-pairing option the Penguins haven’t tried yet.
Graves hasn’t been good. St. Ivany and Shea are good together. Don’t be shocked if this becomes a reality at some point on this trip.
• It looks like Drew O’Connor is on the top line for the foreseeable future.
• There is a chance that Anthony Beauvillier will be the next forward out of the lineup. Yes, he is fast. And yes, he had the two-goal game in Detroit. But he’s otherwise not been very impressive.
• Don’t be shocked if Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin see more time in five-on-five play together.
Sullivan is doing everything in his power to get more out of this team. It’s not working yet, but that’s not stopping him from trying. Pairing Crosby and Malkin always creates some fireworks.
Trending up
• Kevin Hayes — Quietly, Hayes has scored three goals during the season’s first seven games. He has played at a higher level than I expected. He’s a good penalty killer and sees the ice beautifully.
• Lars Eller — He’s got a pair of two-goal games. Not much else needs to be said.
• Rickard Rakell — He looks like a much different player this season. He’s moving beautifully.
Trending down
• Tristan Jarry — I don’t even know if he’s playable right now. That’s how bad and woefully unimpressive he’s been.
• Kris Letang — He was terrible late last season, and, unfortunately, it has carried into this season.
• Erik Karlsson — If possible, he’s been even worse than Letang.
The week ahead
• Tuesday: Penguins at Calgary Flames, 9:30 p.m. ET
• Friday: Penguins at Edmonton Oilers, 9 p.m. ET
• Saturday: Penguins at Vancouver Canucks, 10 p.m. ET
(Photo of Alex Nedeljkovic: Bruce Bennett / Getty Images)
