If you read PenguinPoop on a regular basis and especially the comments section, no doubt you’ve noticed there’s somewhat of a debate going on between Other Rick and yours truly.
My esteemed colleague and friend, himself a former goalie, doesn’t think much of our current goaltending tandem of Arturs Šilovs and Stuart Skinner. He firmly believes our best goalies, Sergei Murashov (pictured) and Joel Blomqvist, are toiling in the AHL for the Baby Pens. Furthermore, that they should’ve been promoted long before now.
I’ve disagreed.
According to MoneyPuck.com, the Pens have received solid inputs from their goalies this season. That includes Tristan Jarry before he was dealt to the Oilers. As a team, we have the eighth fewest 5v5 Goals Against Above Expected in the league at minus-9.19.
By comparison, Vegas is last in the league at plus-26.11.
On an individual basis? Including his time in Edmonton, Skinner is tied for 23rd (out of 92 NHL goalies) in 5v5 Goals Saved Above Expected (5.0), MoneyPuck’s go-to metric. Šilovs is tied for 43rd (-0.1), Murashov tied for 52nd (-1.2).
In 5v5 Goals Saved Above Expected per 60, Skinner ranks 32nd (.155), Šilovs 44th (-0.004) and Murashov 67th (-0.311).
My conclusion? While our goalies haven’t been world-beaters, they’ve certainly been serviceable and more than adequate.
It’s interesting to note that among our three goalies, wunderkind Murashov trails the pack. Granted, in a very small, five-game sample size.
As for Blomqvist? Since he hasn’t played for the big boys this season, I went back to 2024-25, when he appeared in 15 games for the Pens. Joel ranked 93rd out of 103 NHL goalies in 5v5 Goals Saved Above Expected (-6.8) and 83rd in 5v5 Goals Saved Above Expected per 60 (-0.628).
In fairness to the 24-year-old Finn, the Pens weren’t a very good team last season, so it’s a little like comparing apples to oranges.
Still, there’s nothing in the duo’s admittedly brief NHL cameos to suggest they should command the Pens’ net as Other Rick insists.
This isn’t to suggest they’re without pedigree. On the contrary, the 21-year-old Murashov, in particular, is enjoying a brilliant season for the Baby Pens. The AHL All-Star’s posted some truly dazzling numbers, including a microscopic 2.15 goals against average (GAA) and .922 save percentage (SV%) to go with a 20-6-3 record.
Although he’s been fighting things of late (an .887 SV% in his last 11 appearances), Blomqvist’s numbers (2.62 GAA, .908 SV%) are solid. Like his tandem-mate, he was once an AHL All-Star who posted a 2.16 GAA and .921 SV% as a rookie pro back in ’23-24.
As for future plans? Just an uneducated guess, but I think Kyle Dubas will allow pending UFA Skinner to walk this summer, opening the door for Murashov to be promoted.
As for Blomqvist? His future’s a little more hazy. At the very least, he should reclaim the full-time starter’s job at Wilkes. However, unless Šilovs or Murashov falter or injuries strike, certainly a possibility, I don’t see a clear path to the bigs for Joel. At least not on a full-time basis.
Subject to change, of course.
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If the Pens think they can continue to push for the playoffs, I would re-sign Skinner to a 2 year deal. Something tells me that given his age and resume he will push for a 6-8 year term to secure his last big NHL contract. I'd try to trade Silovs or let him walk. Bring up Murashov to split time as the backup/1B similar to Silovs' current role.
If management decides to go full rebuild next season, trade Skinner and Silovs at the draft for future picks and bring up Murashov and Blomqvist.
Rick,
There are some re-runs that I don’t mind experiencing over and over again, but then there are others that wear heavy, some conversations that are bootless. Suffice to say Rick the Penguin Goalie debacle is now and has been going as far back as 2020. I am tired of the discussion. I am a stats guy. As a scientist I understand stats all the way through. I have pointed out the limitations of WAR and sGF and xGA as well as others ad nauseum. I am not going down those paths again.
In the end, the only time the team did what I wanted them to do was trade Matt Murray (I player I really liked but who fell hard – so no one can say I pick favorites if I advocated his trade) for a 2nd round draft pick and use that pick to draft Joel Blomqvist. I now pray that Du(m)bas(s) trades Blomqvist for Blomqvist’s sake. I really wish they had done so a couple of years ago and spared him the insanity.
My expectation of this team, its media, and its fans on their ability to assess Goaltenders cannot sink any lower.