Nedeljkovic: Fiesty Penguins ‘Can Suprise People’

Alex Nedeljkovic shed a rocky couple of seasons with the Detroit Red Wings to re-establish his upward career trend with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Last season, he became the backup goalie after the team traded Casey DeSmith in the Erik Karlsson deal and further locked down his status with exemplary play.

By the end of the season, he started the final 15 games and appeared in the final 16 as the Penguins made an unsuccessful mad dash for a playoff spot. The first 14 of those games were significant starts before the team was eliminated from playoff contention after Game 81.

Nedeljkovic, 27, was on a one-year deal and made no secret that he wanted to re-sign, which he did, inking a two-year, $5 million deal in June.

After some questions about his future in Pittsburgh, Nedeljkovic will try to help a team that has expressed frustration at the bulk of last season but optimism stemming from the final charge. He will be a significant part of the team that is transitioning from Stanley Cup contenders to rebuilding, however quickly, toward that goal.

In April, Dubas hedged on re-signing Nedeljkovic, specifically opening the door for top prospect Joel Blomqvist. However, once Dubas decided to bring back Nedeljkovic, there was more than mutual interest.

Read More: Full Joel Blomqvist Scouting Report

“I just try to do my job when I get in there, have fun and stop pucks, give the guys a chance to win every night … (Pittsburgh) just feels similar growing up in metro Detroit and the suburbs of Cleveland,” said Nedeljkovic. “They’re very similar cities, very Midwestern lifestyle, blue-collar towns. And it just feels like home.”

Last season, the goalie statistically backslid in the second half as the team in front struggled to find itself and any form of consistency. After Nedeljkovic and Tristan Jarry remained among the leaders in team save percentage, they both slid to just above .900, with Jarry finishing at .903 and Nedeljkovic at .902.

But stats aren’t always the story or even half of it.

As the Penguins’ world spun out of control beginning in late February and even captain Sidney Crosby began to struggle, coach Mike Sullivan turned to Nedeljkovic in the net, not necessarily because the goalie was unbeatable, but because of the personality and fight that he brought to team chemistry.

So, it should be no surprise that Nedeljkovic flashed a little feistiness against the general hockey population, which is otherwise sour on the Penguins’ chances this season.

“We’re coming back. And we’re going to have a pretty similar roster. Same thing for the coaching staff up, for the most part,” said Nedeljkovic. So I thought we had a good run at the end. And I think if we’re a little bit more consistent throughout the year, then there’s no doubt in my mind that we can be a playoff team, and I think we can surprise a lot of people (who) maybe count us out.”

In those final 15 games, his statistics were not eye-popping, as he posted only an .889 save percentage in the nine April games. But it was the winning and the feeling that Nedeljkovic brought to the team that made him an easy choice to re-sign. Despite the pedestrian statistics, Nedeljkovic was 9-2-3 in those crucial 14 games.

“The people in the locker room, the people at the rink, they’re all great people. And it’s a great organization,” Nedeljovic said. “It’s very easy to feel welcomed here, which I think goes a long way. Being comfortable and allowing you to play with a free mind and not worry about who’s watching or what somebody’s thinking or who’s in front of you–you can be yourself.”

That’s what the Penguins want from their goalie.