Nedeljkovic’s net for now
But what about for next season?
NEWARK, N.J. — Alex Nedeljkovic during the past dozen days has provided the Penguins with the stellar puck- stopping they needed to roar back into the playoff race.
Has he also given them a glimpse into the future of their crease next season?
That question has been on the minds of some Penguins fans, with Nedeljkovic taking over the No. 1 gig from Tristan Jarry and giving the team all that he’s got.
If he hadn’t already endeared himself to his teammates and the coaching staff, the scrappy 28-yearold did as he started the past six games, going 4-0-2 to help the Penguins pull back within three points of the final playoff spot in the East.
Nedeljkovic stopped 38 of 39 shots against Carolina, one of his former teams. He was solid as they split their two games against Columbus. And then he was one of the heroes of their remarkable road wins in New York and New Jersey.
“I just think it provides more affirmation that what we felt about him is actually the case — that he’s a fierce competitor,” coach Mike Sullivan said Tuesday. “He wants the net. He wants to be in there. He wants to compete. And he battles.”
We will get into what it might mean going forward. But in terms of the suddenly meaningful games the Penguins face the rest of the way, starting with a virtual must-win Thursday in Washington, there is no doubt it should remain his net.
Sullivan intended to go back to Jarry for Monday’s game against the New York Rangers. But Jarry was one of several Penguins to come down with a stomach bug. After the morning skate, Nedeljkovic learned that the plan had changed.
The Penguins defended well in front of him against the first-place Rangers. But Nedeljkovic made a few key stops, including two early ones on Chris Kreider.
“[Given] what’s at stake, against a really good team here that definitely tested him, he was great,” captain Sidney Crosby said, praising Nedeljkovic for being ready to step in for a sick Jarry. “He made some huge saves to keep us in it.”
Nedeljkovic vowed to be ready if needed the next night in New Jersey, and he absolutely was.
He allowed three goals but was one of the stars of the night.
The Devils peppered him in the first two periods with 15 shots from the slot, per Sportlogiq. Had he not played well, the Penguins could have easily been down a few. Instead, they were close enough to pull off the comeback.
His finest save left Dawson Mercer muttering to himself on the Devils bench.
After a breakdown by the Penguins, the Devils had a 2-on-0 with the goalie in tight. But Nedeljkovic shuffled across the crease to rob Mercer with his glove.
The Penguins found their legs in the third and scored five goals to steal a win.
“Ned was outstanding again and gave us a chance to win,” Kris Letang said.
Nedeljkovic has an NHLbest six victories since he started his run on March 24. His .915 save percentage and 2.53 save percentage might not blow you away. But his advanced statistics show he has been quite good.
“I think this last handful of starts we’ve had his very best game,” Sullivan said.
With Jarry out again Tuesday, the Penguins
called up top goalie prospect Joel Blomqvist. The 22-yearold from Finland has impressed in his first season with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League. Blomqvist is 22-10-6 with a 2.15 goals-against average and was named an AHL All-Star this year.
Sullivan is encouraged by the reports he has received from Penguins staffers.
“He’s had a really good year for them. He’s an exciting, young prospect for us,” he said. “He’s made a lot of progress. He’s been a big part of their success.”
With Blomqvist knocking on the NHL’s door and Nedeljkovic giving Pittsburgh a spark the past couple of weeks, could this be the Penguins’ netminding tandem for next season? That speculation seems premature for a number of reasons.
For one, Penguins president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas just committed to Jarry last offseason. There is no doubt Jarry continues to frustrate with his inconsistency. He leads the NHL in shutouts this season but has gotten the hook just as often. But when you add it all up, the numbers say that he’s at least a league-average starter.
Even if Dubas did decide he wanted to trade Jarry for future assets and salary cap flexibility, he might have trouble finding a taker. After all, Jarry hasn’t exactly ended the year on a high note, losing six of seven while getting pulled thrice.
Second, you can’t ignore Nedeljkovic’s entire body of work. He’s proven that he is an NHL goalie after spending a sizable chunk of last season in the AHL while with the Detroit organization. And his numbers are a bit better than Jarry’s across the board. But in terms of his being a potential starter, he’s hardly a sure thing.
And then there is Blomqvist. He is a rare riser in the Penguins’ prospect pool, adjusting so well to the North American game that it makes you think he has a starter-level ceiling in the NHL. But the development of young goalies is often fickle. The last thing you want to do is rush one to the NHL before he’s ready.
So perhaps the best course of action is to run it back with the same trio next season — but they must commit to it being a real competition for both NHL jobs.
That, of course, would require the Penguins to re-sign Nedeljkovic this summer. Last month, he told the PostGazette he would be “very happy” to stick around. It sure sounds like the feeling is mutual, especially after he’s gone on this run.
Improbably, Nedeljkovic has helped push Pittsburgh back into the playoff race.
“Even on the nights when he hasn’t been at his best, he just competes so hard,” Sullivan said. “He wills himself to make saves — and we love that about him.”