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Carolina Hurricanes: Alex Nedeljkovic Didn’t Come From Out of Nowhere

By Matthew Nidiffer

May 30, 2021; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic (39) comes out onto the ice before the game against the Tampa Bay Lightning in game one of the second round of the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs at PNC Arena. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports
May 30, 2021; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic (39) comes out onto the ice before the game against the Tampa Bay Lightning in game one of the second round of the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs at PNC Arena. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports /
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WINDSOR, ON – FEBRUARY 21: Alex Nedeljkovic #39 of the Plymouth Whalers makes a huge blocker save against the Sarnia Sting on February 21, 2014 at the RBC Centre in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Dennis Pajot/Getty Images)
WINDSOR, ON – FEBRUARY 21: Alex Nedeljkovic #39 of the Plymouth Whalers makes a huge blocker save against the Sarnia Sting on February 21, 2014 at the RBC Centre in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Dennis Pajot/Getty Images) /

OHL – ECHL Tenure (2013-2016)

Alex Nedeljkovic started his major junior play in the OHL in 2012 with the Plymouth Whalers. In his rookie year in the OHL, Ned would post a sparkling 2.28 GAA; this stat in particular was good enough to win him the F.W. “Dinty” Moore trophy, awarded annually to the first-year OHL goaltender who posts the best GAA stat.

Ned would also be named to the 2012-13 OHL First All-Rookie Team; his sophomore season would see him garner even more accolades as Ned would win the Silver Medal at the 2013 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament.

On top of those already phenomenal accolades and awards, Ned would be selected to play in both the CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game, and the 2014 CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game. Ned would be named the OHL Goaltender of the Year in 2014 as well.

His performance with the USA U20 team (.902 SV%, 1.84 GAA, 5-1-0 win/loss record in 6 gp) as well as his performance with the Plymouth Whalers in the 2013-14 season (.925 SV%, 2.88 GAA, 26-27-7 win/loss record in 61gp) were enough to get him drafted 37th overall by the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft.

For Ned’s 2014-15 campaign with the Plymouth Whalers, he’d turn in yet another year of incredibly solid individual stats. In 55 games played with the Whalers that season, Ned would post a .916 SV%, 3.13 GAA, a 20-28-7 win/loss record, and 5 shutous.

As a result of his individual success, Ned would sign his first NHL contract with the Canes, a three year entry-level contract, on March 27, 2015. He would then be assigned to the Canes’ ECHL affiliate at the time, the Florida Everblades, where he’d make his ECHL debut and play in 3 of their final few games of that season. In that time frame, Ned would register a 2-1-0 win/loss record, a .841 SV%, and a 3.37 GAA.

In 2015-16, his final year of junior hockey, Ned would play 19 games for the Flint Firebirds (.907 SV%, 3.21 GAA, 9-7-2 win/loss record, 1 shutout) before being traded to the Niagara IceDogs.

With the IceDogs, Ned would post a .907 SV%, 2.72 GAA, 15-13-2 win/loss record, and 1 shutout in 30 regular season games played. He’d continue his run of form into the OHL playoffs that year, as he’d play 17 postseason games and post a .903 SV%, 2.81 GAA, and a win/loss record of 12-4-1.

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