Casey DeSmith waits for another opportunity with Penguins
WILKES-BARRE — The differences between life in the AHL and NHL can be stark.
You generally travel by bus and not charter plane.
Dining recommendations are more likely to be found on Yelp than in the Michelin Guide.
And the hotels tend to be a Courtyard with a great view of the interstate and not, let’s say, the J.W. Marriott Essex overlooking Central Park.
At the same time, there are some experiences that are shared.
Like giving up six goals in less than 45 minutes of action.
Such was the case for goaltender Casey DeSmith on Wednesday when he was pulled after 44 minutes, 17 seconds of ice time for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in an ugly 6-0 loss to the Providence Bruins at Mohegan Sun Arena.
“It’s the same feeling afterwards,” DeSmith said. “You’re not happy and can’t wait to go back out there for the next one. Very frustrating, obviously, but I think it feels the exact same. A big loss hurts no matter what.”
As rotten as that setback felt Wednesday, it paled in comparison to what DeSmith felt Sept. 30 when the Pittsburgh Penguins placed him on waivers.
Up against the salary cap, the team opted to risk losing its incumbent backup goaltender who was entering the first year of a three-year contract with an ample salary-cap hit of $1.25 million in order to become cap compliant.
A day later, DeSmith, who had shown he was an NHL-caliber player repeatedly throughout last season, cleared waivers and eventually was assigned to the Penguins’ AHL affiliate.
“I have a lot more peace with it now,” DeSmith said. “When it first happened, obviously it’s human nature. You’re (mad). You’re pretty upset. I kind of felt like it was out of my control, which was super frustrating, too. Because of all that, I was pretty salty when I got down here. The general mood was lower than it is should be. That went away after a week. As soon as I got down here and started playing games and started getting more comfortable with the guys and enjoying my time a little bit more and focusing on the right things, it was easy to move on.”
When the Penguins placed him on waivers, he wasn’t sure where he might move on to, given other NHL teams had an opportunity to claim him.
“It’s tough because you don’t know what to root for,” said DeSmith, who recently had married his better half, Ellie, a native of Pittsburgh’s east suburbs. “That was the biggest thing. My wife and I were talking about it. People would ask us, ‘What do you want to happen?’ I’m like, ‘I don’t know.’ I want to clear waivers and end up in Wilkes so I can come back up to Pittsburgh. I want to stay in Pittsburgh. That would be ideal. But at the same time, I don’t want to go down to the AHL. And I want to get picked up. Depending on whatever happened, I was going to be fine either way.”
DeSmith has been fine for the most part this season on the ice. Named the AHL’s goaltender of the month in November, he has appeared in 20 games this season and has a 10-8-1 record along with a 2.82 goals-against average, a .909 save percentage and one shutout. Having spent parts of two seasons in the NHL, he’s a veteran presence on a team full of first-year professionals.
This is the first time he’s been the clear-cut No. 1 goaltender at any level in the Penguins organization since he joined the ECHL’s Wheeling Nailers in 2015-16.
“It’s definitely different,” DeSmith said. “It’s the first time I’ve ever been the guy for an extended period of time. Usually, I was sharing or if I got the number one job, it might have been for a week or two weeks. It’s definitely been different, but it’s been good getting that kind of experience.”
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton coach and general manager Mike Vellucci saw the progression.
“Early on, it was tough for him. I’m sure it was in his head and that,” Vellucci said. “We had a good talk and pretty much said he can’t control it. So why worry about it? The only thing you can control is how you play. And you’re auditioning for 30 other teams, too, when you’re in the minors. Just do what you do and what you can control. And that’s how hard you work. He’s been great.”
The person who replaced DeSmith on the NHL roster has been great, as well. So great, in fact, he has replaced Matt Murray as the No. 1 goaltender in recent weeks.
With a 10-5-0 record along with a 1.85 goals-against average and a .940 save percentage, Tristan Jarry’s ascension has caught some by surprise. But not DeSmith.
“I definitely am rooting for him,” DeSmith said. “He was a great goalie partner to me when I was down here. I’ve always told people he’s a great goalie. He’s an NHL goalie. I said that from the first year I was with him here. Not surprised.”
It remains to be seen how the Penguins will sort out the three goaltenders, all of whom the franchise has some level of contract control over past this season. Jarry and Murray are scheduled to become restricted free agent this upcoming offseason, and DeSmith has two years remaining on this contract.
For a player whose entry into professional hockey was essentially a tryout at the ECHL level, obtaining a one-way NHL contract for seven figures over multiple seasons is no small feat. At the same time, it’s a double-edged sword as to determining where he plies his craft.
“It’s a blessing because I, obviously, have a one-way contract, and (it lasts) for another two more years on top of this,” said DeSmith, 28. “Hopefully, that situation will change to my benefit. But obviously it’s a curse, too, because teams are much less likely to pick me up on waivers or trade for me and stuff like that because it’s a little bit heavier contract to fit in there. It’s been a curse this year, but it’s definitely been a blessing. I’m not going to complain about it.”
DeSmith will be returning to Pittsburgh sooner than later. After all, with the NHL and AHL having a holiday break next week, he will get to enjoy Christmas at home with loved ones.
“I’ll see my cat, Yoda,” he said. “I’m so excited.”
As far as when he will get to play an NHL game next, that’s a matter of speculation. But given how he entered the NHL, or professional hockey for that matter, it’s simply a way of life.
“Some guys never have to deal with it,” DeSmith said. “And some guys have to deal with that stuff their whole career. I’m just one of those guys that’s it’s the ‘whole career’ kind of guy. I’m not the guy who was drafted in the second round and just goes up to the show and sticks and stays for 10 years.
“I’m going to have to battle for every opportunity. I know that. The business side of it can kind of be a kick in the teeth sometimes.”
Note: The Penguins lost forward Stefan Noesen to the San Jose Sharks through waivers.
Seth Rorabaugh is a TribLive reporter covering the Pittsburgh Penguins. A North Huntingdon native, he joined the Trib in 2019 and has covered the Penguins since 2007. He can be reached at srorabaugh@triblive.com.
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