Penguins goaltender Casey DeSmith feels stronger than ever after multiple groin surgeries

Casey DeSmith’s 2021-22 season ended about the same way his 2020-21 season ended.

With groin surgery.

Late in the 2020-21 campaign, the Pittsburgh Penguins’ longtime backup goaltender tweaked his left groin against the Philadelphia Flyers and was unable to suit up as the Penguins lost to the New York Islanders in the first round of the postseason.

Less than a full year later, DeSmith made it to the postseason and was in net for the Penguins to open the 2022 playoffs because starter Tristan Jarry was sidelined with a broken right foot.

DeSmith took the Penguins the distance — and then some — in Game 1 of their first-round matchup with the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on May 3. Stopping 48 of 51 shots, DeSmith’s postseason came to an end after 89 minutes, 7 seconds, when he left the second overtime of that contest. He made a maneuver in the crease and felt his “hip and groin all go at once.”

DeSmith pulled himself from the contest and was replaced by reserve Louis Domingue, who became a folk hero for revealing he had eaten a dinner of spicy pork and broccoli during the contest, which the Penguins won 4-3 in three overtimes.

As for DeSmith, it was a highly unappetizing conclusion to his season. Three days later, he underwent the same surgery as the year before, this time on the right groin.

The Rangers eliminated the Penguins in seven games, and as a result, DeSmith had a long offseason to recover.

“I was back on the ice within six, seven weeks,” DeSmith said. “Then, (returning to) 100%, probably another three weeks after that. … We had a bunch of time because I had the surgery so early (after being injured). So, we took our time getting back on the ice. We were doing kind of crease movement at first, no shots. Then the next week, add in a couple of shots. But nothing organic. It was all very planned. So I wasn’t like stretching or anything. We got through that, progressed a little bit more.

“It was probably about 10, 11 weeks removed when I was 100% full, reactive drills and all that stuff.”

Somewhere in between there, DeSmith also addressed the business of re-signing with the team. On July 5, he agreed to a two-year contract extension with a salary cap hit of $1.8 million, a slight bump in pay from his previous deal ($1.25 million).

“For a long time, it was up in the air,” DeSmith said. “I wasn’t sure if they were going to try to bring me back or not. Obviously, I wanted to come back. There’s so much (comfort) for me here as far as my teammates and management and coaches. The fact that I haven’t been with any other organization, I wanted to come back. I was thrilled when they were kind of on the same page. When we were able to get something done, I was excited.”

DeSmith has provided some reason for mild elation this preseason. In three games, he has a 1-0-0 record, a 2.45 goals-against average and a .915 save percentage.

During Monday’s 3-2 road win against the Detroit Red Wings, DeSmith made 37 saves on 39 shots. He was sharp (and a bit lucky) late in regulation. With just under 70 seconds remaining in the third period, he stopped four consecutive shots by Red Wings forwards David Perron (1:09 remaining), Dylan Larkin (1:06), Filip Zadina (1:05) and Tyler Bertuzzi (1:04) during a furious scramble that was halted by an official’s whistle, which DeSmith suggested might have been a bit lucky in his favor.

“I made the (four) saves,” DeSmith said to media in Detroit. “After that, I just laid there because I had no idea where the puck was. At that point, you just kind of hope that it’s under you somewhere. I don’t think it was, but the (referee) bailed me out a little bit there.”

DeSmith’s luck has been nothing but rotten at the end of each of the past two seasons. But he professes his body has become more hale and hearty because of the surgeries.

“I’m back to being healthy,” DeSmith said. “My groin surgeries have taken really well, on both sides. The chance of reinjury is, they say, even lower after getting surgery. It feels like it. I’m very comfortable out there. No side effects or hangover from the surgery. Really good in that regard.”

“Goalie is the most stressful position in all of sports on groins. It’s no secret, right? Just the nature of the butterfly position and the fact that you don’t have much support, you’re on the ice and ice is all slippery and stuff. It’s really just about taking care of it, managing it, warming up before, taking care of your legs. And if you do feel something, it’s staying on top of it.”

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