Hurricanes goalie Alex Nedeljkovic named NHL Rookie of the Month
The NHL confirmed on Thursday what Carolina Hurricanes fans have known and seen for themselves for the past month: Alex Nedeljkovic is pretty good at this hockey thing.
The NHL on Thursday named Nedeljkovic, the Canes rookie keeper, its Rookie of the Month for March.
The 25-year-old goalie debuted this season after an injury to Petr Mrazek necessitated the addition of a second goalie behind regular backup James Reimer. He quickly became the featured played in the Canes crease, going 6-1-1 in March with a 1.85 goals-against average, .934 save percentage and one shutout.
He has posted an overall record of 8-3-2 with a 2.05 goals-against average, .927 save percentage and two shutouts in 13 games this season.
Among rookie NHL goaltenders, Nedeljkovic ranks first in goals-against average and save percentage, and he is tied for first in shutouts. In 19 career NHL appearances with the Hurricanes, Nedeljkovic has earned a 10-5-3 record, 2.19 goals-against average, .921 save percentage and two shutouts.
More importantly for the team than his numbers, though, Nedeljkovic has helped solidify the Hurricanes’ back end as they chase the defending Stanley Cup Champion Tampa Bay Lightning and the Florida Panthers for the Central Division lead.
It’s also escalated the talk around the league that the Canes may be looking to deal one of their goaltenders before this season’s trade deadline.
Being an award-winning goaltender is nothing new for Nedeljkovic. He won the Bastien Memorial Award as the AHL’s most outstanding goaltender during the 2018-19 season with the Charlotte Checkers after posting a 34-9-5 record with four shutouts, a 2.26 goals-against average and a .916 save percentage. During the Checkers’ Calder Cup championship run in 2019, he earned a 10-4 record, 2.34 goals-against average, .916 save percentage and one shutout. Nedeljkovic registered an 88-45-11 record, 2.57 goals-against average, .904 save percentage and 14 shutouts in 153 career AHL games with Charlotte.
The Parma, Ohio, native was drafted by the Hurricanes in the second round, 37th overall, in the 2014 NHL Draft.