Prospect Profile #16 - Tristan Jarry

Who is this guy?

Tristan Jarry is a 6'1" 183lbs Goaltender from Surrey, British Columbia who was drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2nd round of the 2013 NHL Draft.

What are they saying about him?

Jarry was the #3 ranked North American goaltender in the 2013 Draft, and q number of sources placed him as the #2 overall goaltender, so there is quite a lot of chatter surrounding the highly touted prospect. Assistant Director of Amateur Scouting Dan Sexton said of him "We see a potential starting goalie. He’s got very good size. He moves well. He’s got the technical foundation and the size we think to be a starter." He is praised for pretty much every aspect of his game, from his stickwork and his glove to his unflappable demeanor in the face of stress. And the impressive ability doesn't end there, as Corey Pronman's scouting profile said:

"[H]is athletic abilities stand out. He is a quick, energetic goaltender who effectively moves laterally, recovering well after the first shot. He has good limbs as well, showing the ability to make stops that require good reflexes beyond squaring up pucks."

And Craig Button had this to say:

"Tristan is a very steady and positionally-strong goalie. He moves well but he maintains a posture and stance in the net that doesn’t open up holes to the shooter. Very smart and reads the play well. Good mobility getting across and out of his net."

Other scouts point out his excellent technique and gap control, pointing out that not only does he have solid positioning but also the athletic ability to make highlight reel quality saves. He is said to play a hybrid butterfly style, and has been compared favorably to top notch goaltenders such as Mike Smith, Dan Ellis, and Carey Price. In regards to his style of play, we have the scouting report from NHL Central Scouting:

"He's not a cookie-cutter goalie and doesn't just drop in the butterfly; he'll stand up and read the play and possesses good rebound control. [H]e looks like a veteran. His smartness and confidence are what have helped him improve and develop his overall game."

Of course its not all positive, he does have some room to grow. One suggestion made by most of the scouts is that they expect to see him bulk up to fill out his frame before he is ready to move up to the professional level. And if he has a weakness it seems to be his rebound control, so he will need to continue working on his ability to corral the puck. Not a negative per se, but one that always worries me, is that he has a habit of coming pretty far out of the net to make plays. Like Tomas Vokoun, when it works out it works wonders, but sometimes it leaves him completely out of position when the puck starts back the other way.

Where has he been?

Jarry spent the past 2 seasons as the backup goaltender on the WHL Edmonton Oil Kings. His rookie season he put up pretty pedestrian numbers, but about what you would expect from an average young goaltender. But then this past season he blossomed into something special, getting to take on a slightly larger workload, particularly when their starter began to struggle, and he finished the season with the lowest GAA and highest Sv% in the entire WHL, as well as being amongst the highest in shutouts.

He has also shown a tendency to step up in high pressure situations. As a 16 year old Midget he got the opportunity to represent Team British Columbia in the Canada Winter Games and helped bring home a Gold Medal. His first season in the WHL he got the opportunity to represent Team Canada Pacific in the World Hockey U17 Championships and put up some of the best numbers of the entire tournament. And then taking part in the CHL Top Prospects Game in his Draft year he was named Team Cherry's Player of the Game. And finally this past year in the playoffs he only got the opportunity to play in 1 game, but he made it count by walking away with a shutout.

When can we expect to see him?

Jarry is only 18 years old so we can expect him to be returning to the WHL for the next two seasons where he will now take on a much larger role as the team's starter. Even when he ages out of the WHL he will likely need at least a year in the AHL to adjust to the professional level before he is ready to join the NHL roster. If I had to wager a guess I would say maybe 5 years before he hits the NHL as a backup and perhaps 7 years before he is ready to challenge for the starting position.

Why is he #16?

Jarry received 3(!) votes for 5th, 1 vote for 10th, 1 vote for 16th, 1 vote for 17th, 1 vote for 18th, 1 vote for 20th, and 1 vote for 24th.

How can he climb the list?

The main thing Jarry needs to do to move up the list is prove that he can sustain his excellent performance when he takes on a more prominent role as a starter. He had excellent numbers, but he saw very limited exposure as a backup, so now he needs to show what he can do as the #1 goalie, and eventually what he can do at the professional level. He also needs to work on improving his weaknesses, which at the moment appears to be primarily rebound control. And lastly he needs to try to bulk up just a bit to achieve more of a standard NHL size.