The Penguins recall a Goalie, but Why?

The Pittsburgh Penguins recalled Casey DeSmith and Thomas DiPauli. Matt Vensel wrote “[Pens] are recalling Casey DeSmith to back up Matt Murray tomorrow. Tristan Jarry will hang back here and start against Florida on Sunday.” in a tweet.

Very Interesting.

DeSmith has a one way contract, meaning he cannot be sent back down to Wilkes Barre Scranton (WBS) without clearing waivers. Now I am not going to pretend to know all of the intricacies of the NHL waiver system. For all I know there may be a way of sending DeSmith back to WBS. However, to my ever questioning mind I can’t help but wonder.

Of course there is the possibility that Jim Rutherford will try and sneak DeSmith back through waivers a second time. For all of the Rob Scuderi for Trevor Daley and 6th Round Picks for John Marino trades The Penguins’ GM has pulled off he has also announced the hiring of Coaches that weren’t inked yet, signed Matt Hunwicks and traded for Derick Brassards. So, Rutherford just may try and sneak DeSmith back through waivers a second time, but I doubt it. I would like to think that he wouldn’t take that big of a gamble.

Also, with Mike Sullivan going with 9 Defenseman at the start of the season, I would only be mildly surprised if he tried going the rest of the year with 3 Goalies; but again I highly doubt it. I definitely wouldn’t bet the house.

I would also hope that after what Tristan Jarry has done so far this year that he wouldn’t try and send Jarry back to the minors, just because the young goalie is on a two-way contract.

That leaves me with only one thought, too whom is Rutherford trading Matt Murray and to steal one of our friend Rick Buker’s favorite quotes “What in the wide, wide world of sports” is Rutherford going to get in return?

I am a Murray fan so it grieves me to suggest this, but I can’t help go down this path. The team is decimated with injuries. Last I read, Sidney Crosby poured some ice water on the rumors that he was close to a return.

“Not so fast, Crosby cautioned reporters after skating for nearly 90 minutes. The black jersey was apparently donned to avoid confusion in that drill.

‘I just have to be able to do contact. … But I’m not ready for that yet,” he said. “Until then, I’ll probably flip-flop between doing my own stuff [or] skating with the injured guys and going with the team, depending on the practice.’ ” (Matt Vensel Post Gazette 1/3/2020)

With all of the injuries throughout all of the other positions, that only leaves the Penguins’ goalies to dangle in a possible deal for a forward to replace the Penguins latest casualty, Jake Guentzel and Rutherford didn’t have to call DeSmith up to trade him.

I hope I am wrong, I hope I am just being paranoid. Unlike the “We haven’t gotten over the Marc-Andre Fleury trade so we will eternally hate the man that replaced him” crowd I don’t want to see Murray traded, particularly a trade in haste. I have stated several times that I think everyone is tradable and for me that includes Murray, but what is the old saying “Act in haste, repent in leisure”?

If Rutherford is going to trade a Goalie, I pray he doesn’t pull off another debacle like the last time he dealt a Goalie and get back a Brassard.

If Rutherford is really looking to deal two-time Cup winning Goalie, Murray, he better hold out and get value. I am not sure who I would ask for in return but I would definitely add a draft pick and/or a prospect to my demands. I would rather miss the playoffs than throw away a trading chit like this [Murray] on another Brassard that may get us into the playoffs but no farther than a round or two.

Probably my biggest complaint is that anyone Rutherford brings in now, unless the Pen’s Helmsman can steer his way to a stud, a bad trade could easily turn into nothing more than a bottle neck for a kid like Samuel Poulin or Nathan Legare. And quite frankly I haven’t been beguiled enough by the media smoke and mirrors over the Brandon Tanev signing and the Marino trade to have forgotten that Rutherford also wanted to deal Evgeni Malkin, Bryan Rust, and Jarry less this year as well. So I can forsee a bad trade here.

Who knows, maybe I am over-reacting and there is no trade in the works. But then again, if there isn’t a deal about to happen then why this call up. It is a real head – scratcher.