Not much gets by DeSmith
Backup goalie hasn’t looked like it
Casey DeSmith is a cat guy. Actually a hairless cat guy, to be more specific, as his furless feline, Yoda, has shown often on social media.
But when goaltending coach Mike Buckley thinks about DeSmith and the way the backup goaltender is able to step into the crease with his A-game after extended time off, it’s a different animal that comes to mind.
“The thing about Casey is he’s always excited to play hockey,” Buckley told the Post-Gazette. “He’s like a dog who wants to play fetch.” This season, the Penguins are doing more than just throwing their backup the occasional bone. During a shortened and condensed season when a No. 2 netminder might mean more than ever, DeSmith has earned every opportunity and made the most of it to become one of the game’s best backstops, statistically.
Thursday was just the latest example. The 29-year-old DeSmith stopped all 36 shots he faced to shut out the Buffalo Sabres for the second time in a dozen days.
In 12 appearances, DeSmith’s .928 save percentage ranks fourth in the league among goalies with at least six appearances. His 1.93 goals-against average is third among qualifying netminders. “Casey is very competitive,” Buckley
(6th) said. “He always has this mindset that he’s going to push himself every day. When you have that mindset and go a long stretch without playing in a game, you’re prepared.”
The way last season unfolded, it was fair to wonder when (or even if) that next NHL start might come.
DeSmith initially began to prove his value to the organization in 2018-19. When Matt Murray weathered an early season slump followed by an injury, DeSmith was the calming force that helped keep the train on the rails and the Penguins in playoff contention.
His performance ultimately earned DeSmith a three-year extension, which he signed in January 2019. But just as that new deal kicked in and it looked like DeSmith had firmly established himself
as an NHL backup, he was relegated to the American Hockey League. The Penguins were forced to make a tough call out of training camp in 2019-20. Murray was established as the No. 1, and the Penguins didn’t want to risk losing Tristan Jarry for nothing on waivers. So DeSmith became the odd-man out.
While Jarry earned his All-Star Game nod, DeSmith bided his time in WilkesBarre/Scranton, posting relatively average numbers. He went 14-14-1 with a .905 save percentage and 2.92 goals-against average.
Then, he became a social media punchline last January. The Penguins tried to do DeSmith a solid by letting him serve as the backup goalie during a game in Montreal. But when the goalie couldn’t find his passport, what was supposed to be an opportunity turned into another frustration. Through it all, DeSmith has shown one of the most important characteristics of a goaltender: The ability to put the past in the past and worry about stopping the next shot.
And, man, has he ever.
If you throw out the early season stretch when the Penguins were giving up Grade A chances like they were in the BOGO aisle of Giant Eagle, the stats are even more striking. Since Feb. 1, DeSmith has logged a .951 save percentage and 1.38 goals-against average. Over the past five appearances, he has posted a .972 save percentage and 0.8 goals-against average.
After toiling in the minors during a trying 2019-20 season, DeSmith has worked his way back to the NHL and rocketed up the goaltending leader board to find his name on the stat sheet alongside Vezina Trophy candidates like Andrei Vasilevskiy and Marc-Andre Fleury.
“It’s special,” DeSmith said. “Obviously, last year is not what I drew up in my mind. I just tried to work hard down there and stick with it and be a good teammate. Now that I’m back up here, I’m reaping the benefits of the hard work I put in last year.”
As a result, the Penguins defensive metrics have improved dramatically, helping the team surge in the standings and begin to weather an injury storm that’s left Pittsburgh without five of its top eight forwards.
It’s a marked improvement from earlier in the year. When new general manager Ron Hextall and president of hockey operations Brian Burke were hired, rumors circulated that they might be interested in a veteran goaltender to shore up what had been a shaky position group.
But lately, with DeSmith shooting up the leader board and Jarry showing glimpses of being the same player who earned an All-Star Game last season, what looked like one of the Penguins’ biggest looming questions have become one of its most-solid strengths.
“When you look at the logistics of our schedule, the way it’s set up and the amount of games that we’re playing, we’re relying on both of these guys to get the job done,” coach Mike Sullivan said. “I think it’s almost a requirement in today’s game, especially this year with the condensed schedule, to have two guys you can rely on to help you win games. Both of these guys are doing it for us.”