The Penguins learned the value of having two high-quality goaltenders during their Stanley Cup drive in the spring.
This fall, they are discovering the issues having two of them can cause.
Marc-Andre Fleury and Matt Murray have established their qualifications as No. 1 goalies in the NHL — both have been the team’s go-to guy in a Cup run — but neither has had a workload commensurate with his credentials lately.
“Despite the fact I like having the two top goalies, it’s difficult when both goalies are used to playing the majority of the games,” general manager Jim Rutherford said Monday. “You get into weeks where they’re splitting and going every other game. That hasn’t worked, at this point, as well as I thought it would.”
Fleury has appeared in 15 of the Penguins’ 22 games, putting up a 6-5-3 record, .901 save percentage and 3.38 goals-against average.
Murray, who broke his hand in the World Cup tournament and made his first start Nov. 2, is 7-1, with a save percentage of .939 and a 1.75 goals-against average.
His statistics are decidedly better than Fleury’s, and there is anecdotal evidence that Murray’s teammates have played better in front of him than Fleury. Although Rutherford doesn’t necessarily agree with that perception, he doesn’t dispute it, either.
“I don’t know if that’s the way I would describe it,” he said. “That’s the way it certainly seems.
“It’s maybe more of what games each goalie draws. There are certain games, certain teams, you draw where we play better against than others.”
Regardless of how playing time is divided, the 2017 expansion draft that will stock the new franchise in Las Vegas means the Penguins must determine whether Murray or Fleury is their goalie of the future.
“I don’t feel urgency [to decide],” Rutherford said, adding that, “it is one area I’m probably looking at the most right now, as to how that works.”
Fleury turned 32 Monday, and being 9½ years younger presumably works to Murray’s advantage.
The Penguins can only protect one goalie in the expansion draft and, at this point, it would have to be Fleury, because his contract includes a no-movement clause. He could be asked to waive that clause, although there’s no indication such a request has been made.
Rutherford declined to say whether other teams have inquired about trading for Fleury or Murray, and said the Penguins’ inconsistent play through 22 games is not reason to make a major personnel move.
“Not at this point,” he said. “The group of guys we have are certainly good enough to do well.
“That’s not to say there won’t be changes made at some point — all teams make a change or two at some point during the season — but I don’t feel any urgency as of right now to do that.”
The Penguins are allowing an average of 2.91 goals per game, the ninth-highest figure in the NHL before games Monday night. Rutherford cited their work in their own end as his greatest concern.
“Our defensive play has to be more consistent, get tightened up,” he said. “We’re trying to do too many high-risk things, as far as on the offensive side of the puck.”
Despite their shortcomings, the Penguins are 13-6-3, good for second in the Metropolitan Division and a share of fourth in the overall standings. They have not lost consecutive games in regulation since Mike Sullivan’s first four as coach last December.
“When we do have an off-game, we bounce back,” Rutherford said. “You wouldn’t know that we’d had that bad of a game the prior game.
“It’s encouraging that we’re winning as many games, despite the fact we’re not at a level that our team should be.”
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NOTES — The Penguins recalled defenseman Derrick Pouliot from his three-game conditioning stint in Wilkes-Barre. … After having the past two days off, the Penguins are scheduled to practice at 11 a.m. today in Cranberry.
Dave Molinari: Dmolinari@Post-Gazette.com and Twitter @MolinariPG.
First Published: November 29, 2016, 4:29 a.m.