The Pittsburgh Penguins re-signed goalie Alex Nedeljkovic this offseason. Nedeljkovic had a bounceback season after struggling in two seasons with the Detroit Red Wings. Pittsburgh proved to be a good fit, and the former Calder Trophy finalist has very high hopes for the Penguins this upcoming season.
Pittsburgh made a run at the Stanley Cup Playoffs late in the year. However, they ultimately fell short of the mark. Pittsburgh could not overcome a slow start to the season. Selling players like Jake Guentzel at the NHL Trade Deadline certainly didn't help, either. In saying that, Nedeljkovic believes his team's late run last year could be a sign of things to come in 2024-25.
“We’re coming back… 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,” the Penguins goalie said, via Dan Kingerski of Pittsburgh Hockey Now.
Alex Nedeljkovic, Penguins aiming for playoff hockey
Nedeljkovic didn't light the world on fire with his performances in 2023-24. In fact, he barely finished with a save percentage above .900. Additionally, he had an .889 save percentage in the nine April games he appeared in. But he won nine of his team's final 15 games to give them a chance.
And ultimately, that sort of fight is what they want from the veteran goaltender. His chemistry with the team ahead of him helps the overall team play better. In saying this, mistakes happen. What's important is not letting mistakes and bad bounces take you out of the game. With Nedeljkovic in net, the Penguins had a chance.
This offseason, Pittsburgh remained rather silent outside of a few depth moves. Notably, they added veteran center Kevin Hayes in a trade with the St. Louis Blues. On Tuesday, the Penguins traded for Cody Glass in a deal with the Nashville Predators, as well.
Pittsburgh did not get noticeably better this offseason. They didn't make a splash move to give fans or pundits a reason to buy in. However, in Nedeljkovic's defense, this could be what the team needs. The Penguins made their splash moves last summer and things didn't work as envisioned. Perhaps a more restrained free agency allows them to build more consistency within their current group of players.
It'll certainly be interesting to see if Alex Nedeljkovic can help the Penguins make the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2025. The Penguins open their 2024-25 season at home on October 9th. They welcome the New York Rangers to town to officially kick off another season of hockey.
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