Mark Madden: Penguins should stick with goalie Casey DeSmith

The Penguins don’t have a goaltending controversy.

Well, not unless new GM Ron Hextall thinks he can still play. That might not be a bad idea.

Casey DeSmith has to keep playing. That’s beyond debate, at least for now.

Tristan Jarry played in last season’s NHL All-Star event. He finished eighth among NHL goaltenders in save percentage and shutouts, ninth in goals-against average. This past offseason, the Penguins traded two-time Stanley Cup-winner Matt Murray and anointed Jarry the new No. 1 goalie with a three-year contract worth $10.5 million.

But right now, Jarry stinks. There’s no nicer way to accurately describe his play.

He’s played seven games this season. His goals-against average ranks 64th, his save percentage 66th and the notion of a shutout is a pipe dream. Fancy stats dispel the notion that Jarry is a victim of the Penguins’ injured, mistake-prone defensive corps.

Jarry’s problems are great, and they are many. If he played any deeper in the net, he’d be behind it. His rebound control is horrific. He has a lazy stick when the puck is around the blue paint. (BTW, Murray had these same flaws last season, which gives reason to look at what goaltending coach Mike Buckley is teaching.)

Stats can sometimes deceive, but Jarry’s don’t. He’s badly flunking the eye test, too.

There’s no good explanation for it. Perhaps Jarry can’t handle the pressure of being a No. 1 goalie. But Jarry’s calling card has always been his relaxed demeanor. Maybe he’s too relaxed.

It’s tempting to keep starting Jarry and hope he eventually comes good.

But the Penguins are walking a tightrope when it comes to even making the playoffs. That’s exacerbated still more by the NHL’s truncated schedule.

Enter DeSmith.

The Penguins beat the New York Islanders, 4-3, Thursday. DeSmith wasn’t spectacular. But he made 26 saves, including a few big ones, and three more in the game-deciding shootout.

DeSmith won. He has four of the Penguins’ six wins, including their last two.

DeSmith is listed at 6-feet tall. That’s a lie. He’s too short. He didn’t play a game in the NHL last season. He’s nobody’s idea of a starting NHL goaltender.

But DeSmith battles, and right now, all he has to do is outplay Jarry.

If Hextall doesn’t want to dig out his equipment, he and new president of hockey operations Brian Burke have to seriously examine the goaltending position. TSN’s Bob McKenzie says the Penguins talked to Vegas about Marc-Andre Fleury’s availability (he’s not) even before Hextall and Burke signed on, so the franchise is clearly concerned.

But it’s hard to imagine Hextall making a big move soon, and perhaps not even this season. He assumed the reins 11 games into the campaign, so evaluation is the current priority. At most, perhaps a cheap, steady veteran goalie could be acquired.

Both Hextall and Burke have spoken glowingly about the roster’s quality since assuming their jobs. They might want to take another look.

The Penguins are 6-5-1, which invokes the shower scene in “Bull Durham”: “How’d we ever win six?” “It’s a miracle.”

After 12 games, the Penguins have won just once in regulation. They have yet to lead by two goals. They’re lucky to not be buried in a deep hole.

But Thursday’s victory provided several encouraging moments.

Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang have struggled mightily, but the latter teed up the former for the game-tying goal with 18 seconds left in regulation. Bryan Rust tipped in Jake Guentzel’s brilliant goalmouth feed. Zach Aston-Reese played his first game since offseason shoulder surgery and got the kind of greasy goal the Penguins need more of.

It seems a big win because the Penguins and Islanders will likely battle for the East division’s fourth and final playoff berth. The winner of the eight-game season series between the teams is a good bet to grab that spot, and the Penguins lost the first meeting last Saturday.

But making the postseason seems far-fetched given the goaltending problems. What are the Penguins going to do?

I don’t know. They don’t, either.