Nedeljkovic made his NHL debut this season after a few years in the AHL, and he was nothing short of spectacular. The 25-year-old goalie had a 15-5-3 record and a.932 save percentage in 23 starts. Because of how well he played, he would also be promoted to the starting lineup as the season progressed. He appeared in nine postseason games, recording a 4-5 record and a.920 save percentage. Despite the small sample size, it's surprising that they'd give up on him after such a strong showing.
The Red Wings now have their potential long-term goalie of the future. Many envisioned that he would hold this title with the Hurricanes, but that now that is not the case.
Perhaps the Hurricanes have a big splash on the way, but even if so, this is still rather questionable. Both Petr Mrazek and James Reimer are pending UFAs, too.
We will see what transpires, but it is rather risky to trade such a young goaltender who played that well this season. At the end of the day, this has all the makings of a complete steal for Detroit.
Update: The Red Wings have signed Nedeljkovic to a two-year extension.
POLL | ||
Did the Red Wings just sign their Future starter? | ||
Yes | 122 | 67 % |
No | 60 | 33 % |
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