Sources Refute Tristan Jarry Hip Injury Rumors
The rumors were so thick that they became a reality. The quiet chatter that made its way through the fanbase, media, and even through sports-talk radio, as fact was that Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry has a degenerative or chronic hip condition which led to his struggles last season and the domino effect of preceding injuries.
Sources refute that account.
A team source confirmed to Pittsburgh Hockey Now what we heard at several points last season: Jarry does not have a degenerative hip issue. Nor is there a chronic hip problem.
Instead, Jarry tweaked his back. It flared up a few times last season, which was the primary cause of injury absences.
On July 1, Jarry, 28, signed a new five-year deal with the Penguins that carries a $5.375 million AAV. He spent approximately four hours on the open market before signing a deal in the late afternoon.
Thursday, Jarry spoke with the media for the first time since the end of the regular season in which the Penguins’ 16-year playoff streak unceremoniously ended. Without specifying his injury, the goalie admitted that the mysterious injury and others lingered from the training camp onward.
“Just being (unable) to get ahead of it, not really get over it, was the toughest thing for me,” said Jarry.
For the record, Jarry also attempted to dispel the chronic hip rumors on Thursday.
Make no mistake, the goaltending position, with the butterfly style and new variations to stop pucks, has become a nightmare for the human body. Bodies are just not meant to frequently stretch and bend and flop up and down in the ways asked of goaltenders.
Jarry said he had adopted new training regimens to strengthen different areas, presumably his back. There is no indication that the injury or related maladies will linger into next season once he gets past them.
Injuries for starting goalies are the norm rather than the exception. The odds are solidly against Jarry having a fully healthy season, and president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas referenced the brutality of the position in his July 1 press conference after signing a third NHL goalie, Alex Nedeljkovic.
“There’s a lot of injuries at the position. I think the demands of the position, the way that it’s changed, the way the goaltenders play, it makes it more demanding,” said Dubas. “There are very few goalies that go through the year without an injury.”
Dubas later signed Magnus Hellberg, giving the Penguins four goalies who played at least 15 games in the NHL last season.
When healthy last season, Jarry reeled off 11 wins in the final 14 games of 2022, including a seven-game winning streak. He is not without talent, but is without a chronic hip problem.
For context, Anaheim Ducks goalie John Gibson started the final game of the regular season to increase his total appearances to 53. Last season, he missed time with an upper-body injury, a lower-body injury, and illness.
Carter Hart played 55 games. Injuries and ineffectiveness limited Sergei Bobrovsky to 50 games. Vezina Trophy winner Linus Ullmark played 49 games.
Only seven goalies hit the 60-game mark, and only 25 netminders played in at least 41 games (50% of the NHL season).
Jarry played in 47 games, but several low notes tempered his hot streaks. He finished with a .909 save percentage after being at .920 in December.
Also, in a bit of common sense, it’s difficult to imagine a serious team signing a player with a chronic condition that would guarantee more seasons like the last to a five-year deal. The Penguins’ team physicians and trainers are in a position to know Jarry better than any.
Categorized:Penguins
Thank you Dan!
Glad to know it isn’t anything chronic, only a bad back that lingered all season (sarcasm). So a bad back isn’t a chronic issue? This signing is bad. Real bad. As a survivor of two back surgeries and an avid marathoner: back problems usually just don’t go away with core strengthening.
Ding-ding-ding-ding!
Interesting that they didn’t refute the rumor when he was playing poorly, but now that he’s signed a too lengthy and over-valued contract everything is just gucci. Sorry, not buying it.
Agreed. He’s never transparent about his injuries until after poor performances. Should have tried for Hellebuyck.
The next time the Penguins announce an injury with specificity will be the first.
The next time they lie about one won’t be the last.
They have no obligation to tell fans about a player’s specific injuries.
Yeah, that’s why I don’t believe any hockey team with regard to injuries.
On April 13, 2023 it was reported, right here on PHN, “In November, he [Jarry] told reporters he was dealing with injuries that affected his play, but coach Mike Sullivan publicly corrected him. Jarry didn’t admit to injury again.” Later in the same article “This time Sullivan didn’t deny his goalie was injured.” So, Sullivan lied to the media about Jarry’s injury and apparently forbade Jarry from telling the truth. The point here isn’t whether or not Sullivan lied or why he lied. The point here is that he did lie and forced Jarry to lie which impugns any credibility either Sullivan… Read more »
I like Jarry! You don’t then just wait and see! The Pens fans have crapped about goalies for the last 10 years! Get a life and just enjoy the Pens! I have for 50 years! 32 NHL teams and they are mostly boring to watch play! Like defense go find another team to cheer for!
You are boring with the same BS over and over.
I do not have any confidence in Tristan Jarry staying healthy. We would not sign him if there was any “serious sign of a chronic condition”? Well, neither would any other team, which means he would be unmovable. So what do you do in that case? With the goalie market being sparse at best? Sign him and hope for “the devil you know”.. time will tell.
Yeah why 5 years and he got a raise also maybe it was too hard to look for another goaltender this was another bad signing Sullivan wanted him bottom line.
DeAngelo just got waived by PHL. Talented headcase who plays with an edge. Canes likely will try to bring him back since previous trade was not allowed by NHL CBA. 1 year deal at around $2M to $2.5M probably snags him. If I’m Dubas this gives me pause. This kid is small but plays big and physical. Also puts up points. He would be an upgrade over Rutta and IMO Petry too at a fraction of the cost. I’d go for it before the Canes grab him. But if Canes do, that removes them from the EK sweepstakes leaving only… Read more »
Duby got smoked, plain and simple. #StillHexed
For me the bottom line is this, The average back-up Goalie in the NHL plays between 15 and 30 games with 22 roughly being the middle. In his career Tristan Jarry has played really well in those first 22 games of a season and then absolutely stunk after that point. 2017-18 Sv% up to Game 22 – 0.913, after Game 22 – 0.882 2019-20 Sv% up to Game 22 – 0.932, after Game 22 – 0.900 2020-21 Sv% up to Game 22 – 0.909, after Game 22 – 0.910 2021-22 Sv% up to Game 22 – 0.934, after Game 22… Read more »
Its a risky signing. It either works or it doesn’t. Based on his history I don’t think it is a good signing. Time will tell. I hope he plays 60, wins the Vezina and wins a cup. I dont like our chances of him playing 45.
Best-case scenario: Neddy regains his Carolina form and is ready for the postseason. #InNeddyWeTrust
Why did Dubas spend all his cap space already? And why didn’t they make an RFA offer for KeAndre Miller. Zucker at 1×5? There is a lot of value out there if your cap isn’t clogged.
Oh, it’s his back and not his hip. Alrighty then.