Penguins' Alex Nedeljkovic: Blitzed in second period
Rotowire
Nedeljkovic stopped 30 of 34 shots in Saturday's 4-3 loss to the Canucks.
The Penguins led 2-0 until the Canucks flipped the script with three goals in a span of 1:05 in the second period. Arshdeep Bains then scored a few minutes later, and that sent the Penguins to a fifth straight loss. Nedeljkovic has been in net for three of them, going 0-2-1 with 12 goals allowed on 95 shots this season. The Penguins' next game is Tuesday at home versus the Wild, and at this point, fantasy managers may want to steer clear of Pittsburgh's crease given the team's overall struggles.
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Penguins' Alex Nedeljkovic: In goal Saturday
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Nedeljkovic will guard the road goal versus the Canucks on Saturday, Penguins play-by-play announcer Josh Getzoff reports.
Nedeljkovic unsurprisingly gets this start after Joel Blomqvist stopped 46 of 50 shots Friday versus the Oilers. The 28-year-old Nedeljkovic has gone 0-1-1 with eight goals allowed on 61 shots over his first two outings of the campaign, which makes him a risky option behind a leaky and tired defense.
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Penguins' Alex Nedeljkovic: First goalie off Tuesday
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Nedeljkovic was the first goalie to leave the ice Tuesday, Matt Vensel of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports, indicating he'll tend the twine on the road versus Calgary.
Nedeljkovic will look to bounce back from his season debut versus the Jets on Sunday in which he gave up five goals on 36 shots (.861 save percentage). At this point, it's fair to wonder if Tristan Jarry will start at all during the Pens' four-game road trip with Nedeljkovic potentially splitting the back-to-back against the Oilers and Canucks on Friday and Saturday, respectively, with Joel Blomqvist. Regardless, at this point, Nedeljkovic appears to be the No. 1 option for Pittsburgh.
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Penguins' Alex Nedeljkovic: Tough assignment in season debut
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Nedeljkovic allowed five goals on 36 shots in Sunday's 6-3 loss versus Winnipeg. The Jets' final goal was an empty-netter.
Nedeljkovic made his first appearance of the 2024-25 campaign after sustaining a lower-body injury in a preseason contest against Detroit on Sept. 30. The 28-year-old wasn't given much help in front of him, but Winnipeg boasts a strong offense, having scored 24 goals across its first five games. Nedeljkovic will have a chance to grab the No. 1 netminding gig with Tristan Jarry struggling to start the season.
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Penguins' Alex Nedeljkovic: Starting in Winnipeg
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Nedeljkovic will defend the road net Sunday against the Jets, according to Penguins play-by-play announcer Josh Getzoff.
Nedeljkovic will make his season debut after recovering from injury. He posted a record of 18-7-7 with one shutout, a 2.97 GAA and a .902 save percentage across 38 regular-season outings in 2023-24. Winnipeg has produced 18 goals through four outings this campaign.
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Penguins' Alex Nedeljkovic: Makes trip to Canada
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Nedeljkovic joined his teammates for the Penguins' road trip, which begins Sunday afternoon in Winnipeg, Rob Rossi of The Athletic reports.
Nedeljkovic returned to Pittsburgh on Saturday after stopping 33 of 36 shots in a 4-3 win over Lehigh Valley in an AHL conditioning assignment Friday. The Penguins brought three goalies on the four-game sojourn, which extends to Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver between now and Saturday. Nedeljkovic joined Tristan Jarry and Joel Blomqvist for the trip, and Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan didn't reveal which one will start against the Jets on Sunday.
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Penguins' Alex Nedeljkovic: Back from conditioning loan
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Nedeljkovic (lower body) was summoned from AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Saturday.
During his lone AHL outing, Nedeljkovic made 33 saves in Friday's 4-3 win over Lehigh Valley. He could be an option for Sunday's road game versus Winnipeg.
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Penguins' Alex Nedeljkovic: Sent on conditioning assigment
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Nedeljkovic (lower body) was activated off injured reserve Thursday and reassigned to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on a conditioning assignment.
Nedeljkovic figures to get the starting nod for the Baby Pens against AHL Lehigh Valley either Friday or Saturday (perhaps both) as he works his way back from his lower-body injury. At this point, with Tristan Jarry struggling, Pittsburgh is likely to get Nedeljkovic back into the lineup and could give him some starts during an upcoming four-game Western Canada road trip. Once Nedeljkovic is given the all-clear, Joel Blomqvist will likely be headed for the minors in a corresponding move, despite being the team's best netminder to open the year.
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Penguins' Alex Nedeljkovic: Lands on injured reserve
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Nedeljkovic (lower body) was designated for injured reserve Monday.
Nedeljkovic was expected to compete alongside Tristan Jarry for the Penguins' No. 1 job but instead will start the year on the shelf. Still, once the 28-year-old backstop is given the all-clear, he should once again challenge Jarry for regular appearances. Fantasy managers should probably anticipate a platoon this year with the hot hand keeping the crease.
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Penguins' Alex Nedeljkovic: Officially labeled week-to-week
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Nedeljkovic (lower body) is considered week-to-week, Rob Rossi of The Athletic reports Wednesday.
If there was a goalie controversy in Pittsburgh heading into Opening Night against the Rangers, Nedeljkovic's lower-body injury certainly puts that to rest. At this point, fantasy managers can expect a heavy dose of Tristan Jarry for the Penguins to open the season. Still, once Nedeljkovic is back to 100 percent, he should continue to push for more opportunities throughout the season -- much like he did last year when he started the final 14 games of the 2023-24 campaign.
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Penguins' Alex Nedeljkovic: Still being evaluated
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Nedeljkovic (lower body) is still being evaluated by team doctors, Matt Vensel of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports Tuesday.
The fact that Nedeljkovic is still being assessed doesn't bode well for a short-term absence, though nothing official has come from the team at this point. If there is a significant injury for the 28-year-old backstop, it would clear the way for Tristan Jarry to start the majority of the games to open the 2024-25 campaign. Joel Blomqvist would be the most likely candidate to fill the backup role in Nedeljkovic's absence -- unless the club decides to look to the waiver wire to bolster its goalie room.
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Penguins' Alex Nedeljkovic: Leaves game early
Rotowire
Nedeljkovic is being evaluated for a lower-body injury after exiting Monday's exhibition contest against Detroit.
Nedeljkovic was supposed to play the entire game but instead was pulled in the first period due to the injury. Nedeljkovic will be evaluated Tuesday, and there should be a more definitive update on the goaltender's status at that time.
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Penguins' Alex Nedeljkovic: Gets starting nod Tuesday
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Nedeljkovic will be between the pipes at home versus Buffalo on Tuesday, Seth Rorabaugh of Tribune-Review Sports reports.
Nedeljkovic saw action in 38 games for the Penguins last year, including starting 14 straight to close out the season in which he posted an 8-1-3 record, 3.00 GAA and .899 save percentage. Having re-signed with the team for another two years, the 28-year-old netminder still comes into the campaign as the No. 2 option, but clearly, starter Tristan Jarry is on a short leash and Nedeljkovic could play his way into a split share.
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Penguins' Alex Nedeljkovic: Sticking with Penguins
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Nedeljkovic signed a two-year, $5 million contract with the Penguins on Thursday.
Nedeljkovic had an 18-7-7 record, 2.97 GAA and .902 save percentage in 38 regular-season contests with the Penguins in 2023-24. He was playing on a one-year, $1.5 million contract and could have tested the unrestricted free agent waters this summer. The Penguins also have Tristan Jarry signed through 2027-28, so Pittsburgh will be using the same goaltending duo for the second straight campaign in 2024-25. Nedeljkovic will likely begin the season as the backup netminder, but he has the potential to be utilized more than your typical No. 2, especially after Jarry was something of a mixed bag in 2023-24, finishing with a 2.91 GAA and a .903 save percentage in 51 regular-season outings.
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Penguins' Alex Nedeljkovic: Stuck with loss in finale
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Nedeljkovic made 27 saves in Wednesday's 5-4 loss to the Islanders.
Neither team had anything to play for, as the Penguins were already eliminated from the playoffs while the Isles were locked into a first-round matchup against the Hurricanes, but they still put together a spirited back-and-forth affair. The regulation loss was the first for Nedeljkovic since March 9 -- the 28-year-old took over the starting job for Pittsburgh down the stretch, and over his last 12 outings he went 8-1-2 with a 2.93 GAA and .902 save percentage. He'll be an unrestricted free agent this offseason, and he should be able to do better than the one-year, $1.5 million deal he signed with the Pens last July given his late-season performance.
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Penguins' Alex Nedeljkovic: Backstops crucial win
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Nedeljkovic stopped 28 of 30 Nashville shots en route to a 4-2 win Monday.
The Penguins have leaned heavily on Nedeljkovic down the stretch, and he played well until recently. In the four starts prior to Monday's game, he never had a better save percentage than .882, got pulled once and allowed a total of 15 goals. Monday's strong performance helped the Penguins get a crucial win as the team vies for the last wild card spot in the Eastern Conference.
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Penguins' Alex Nedeljkovic: Pulled from Saturday's game
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Nedeljkovic allowed three goals on 16 shots in Saturday's 6-4 loss to the Bruins.
Since the Penguins were able to cover his damage, Nedeljkovic avoided the loss following his early exit midway through the second period. Tristan Jarry wasn't much better, allowing two goals on 14 shots. Nedeljkovic has helped the Penguins stay in the hunt for a playoff spot by winning eight of his last 14 outings, a span in which he doesn't have a regulation loss. He remains at 17-6-7 with a 2.93 GAA and a .903 save percentage through 36 outings. The Penguins' next game is their home finale Monday versus the Predators.
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Penguins' Alex Nedeljkovic: Hangs on for OT win
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Nedeljkovic made 25 saves in Thursday's 6-5 overtime win over the Red Wings.
The 28-year-old netminder allowed three separate leads to slip through his fingers, but Nedeljkovic also made some big stops to help the Penguins secure a huge victory. He hasn't lost in regulation since March 9, and over his last 12 outings he's gone 8-0-3 with a 2.78 GAA and .905 save percentage. Pittsburgh sits one point ahead of the Wings, Capitals and Flyers in the race for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
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Penguins' Alex Nedeljkovic: First goalie off Thursday
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Nedeljkovic was the first goalie to leave the ice Thursday, Seth Rorabaugh of Tribune-Review Sports reports, indicating he'll be in goal at home versus Detroit.
Nedeljkovic will be making his 10th consecutive start, having gone undefeated in regulation in his last nine appearances. During that stretch, the 28-year-old backstop is 6-0-3 with a 2.57 GAA and .913 save percentage. As long as Nedeljkovic stays sharp, he figures to be the preferred choice between the pipes for the Penguins down the stretch and, possibly, into the postseason.
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Penguins' Alex Nedeljkovic: Falls in overtime
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Nedeljkovic allowed three goals on 23 shots in Monday's 3-2 overtime loss to the Maple Leafs.
Nedeljkovic held the Leafs to a pair of goals in regulation, including an Auston Matthews power-play marker, though he'd ultimately wind up with the loss after Jake McCabe scored the game-winner 1:30 into overtime. The defeat snapped a four-game winning streak for Nedeljkovic -- he'd gone 6-0-1 with a .926 save percentage over his previous seven outings while taking over the starting job in Pittsburgh. Overall, the 28-year-old Nedeljkovic is 16-6-7 with a .907 save percentage and 2.82 GAA on the season. He figures to be back between the pipes Thursday when the Penguins host Detroit.
