The Pittsburgh Penguins have decided to send goaltender Tristan Jarry back home to focus on individual practice, hoping this will help him overcome a challenging start to the season.

This announcement was made by Coach Mike Sullivan on Thursday. Currently, the Penguins are in the midst of a four-game road trip through Western Canada, with their next matchup scheduled against Edmonton on Friday.

So far in the season, Jarry holds a record of 1-1-0 after three games, featuring a concerning 5.47 goals against average and an .836 save percentage. The two-time All-Star was last in action on October 16, when he was pulled from the game after allowing three goals on just five shots during the first period of what turned out to be a 6-5 overtime victory over Buffalo.

Coach Sullivan indicated that Jarry will use this time to work with Jon Elkin, who serves as the team’s director of goaltending.

“This is just part of the strategy we’ve implemented to assist Tristan in reaching his fullest potential,” Sullivan stated.

Jarry is currently in the second year of a five-year contract extension he signed in July 2023. Last season, he recorded six shutouts, tying for the NHL lead, but he also struggled towards the season’s end, getting effectively benched in favor of Alex Nedjelkovic. His goals against average of 2.91 and save percentage of .903 during that stretch were the lowest since he became a regular in the league in the 2019-20 season.

Despite both the team and Jarry expressing hope for a fresh start, the early season has brought some unsettling signs.

“The initial games he has played thus far have not been his strongest,” Sullivan admitted. “I realize this is quite evident. However, it is our role to guide players through the inevitable challenges they face in this league, and Tristan is no exception.”

At present, Nedjelkovic and rookie Joel Blomqvist are sharing the goaltending responsibilities for Pittsburgh, which has lost its last three games. The team will conclude its road trip against Vancouver on Saturday before returning home for a three-game homestand next week.

It remains uncertain when Jarry will be back in action for the Penguins.

“This is merely a process we’ve set in motion,” Sullivan mentioned. “We discussed this with Tristan, and he is fully on board, so we will proceed from that point.”