It’s an odd dichotomy for Alex Nedeljkovic.
Even though he is under contract for another season with the Pittsburgh Penguins, the backup goaltender might have less of a chance of staying with the team going into the 2025-26 campaign than he did in the 2024 offseason when he re-signed with the team, agreeing to a two-year deal.
To be certain, he wants to stay in every genuine sense.
But he understands that luxury might not be extended by president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas.
“At the end of the day, it’s a business,” Nedeljkovic said during the team’s season-ending interviews in Cranberry on April. 18. “Kyle and the team, they’re going to do what’s best for the organization right now and moving forward. I said it last year, obviously being a free agent, I was happy to get a multi-year deal. Hopefully, I spend the second part of it here. Whatever happens, happens.”
Relatively little of what happened in 2024-25 was good for the Penguins or Nedeljkovic.
An undisclosed injury during the preseason landed him on injured reserve to open the regular season.
Once he got back into the lineup in mid-October, he didn’t exactly capture the reliable form he offered during the late stages of the 2023-24 season when he nearly dragged a limited team to the playoffs and endeared himself to a fan base that rallied around the affable “Ned.”
Leading all Penguins’ goaltenders with 38 games in 2024-25, Nedeljkovic had a mundane 14-15-5 record, a 3.12 goals-against average, .894 save percentage and one shutout.
(The highlight of his season – and perhaps the team as a whole – came in a 5-2 road win against the Buffalo Sabres on Jan. 17 when Nedeljkovic became the first goaltender in NHL history to record a goal and an assist in a game.)
Empty net goal for Pittsburgh!
Scored by Alex Nedeljkovic with 02:42 remaining in the 3rd period.
Buffalo: 2
Pittsburgh: 5#PITvsBUF#SabreHood#LetsGoPenspic.twitter.com/kqOTxx9Gdm— NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) January 18, 2025
“I think it was fairly consistent,” Nedeljkovic said in assessing his season. “In saying that, I don’t think it was necessary consistently good or great. It was just all right. It was just all right. There’s plenty of room for improvement in a couple of areas. That will be a big focus for the summer.”
A lot of things can happen this summer for the Penguins considering they are in their third consecutive year without a playoff appearance. And plenty has already happened this spring with the departure of head coach Mike Sullivan on Monday.
Goaltending coach Andy Chiodo’s contract has expired and Dubas indicated he is free to pursue employment elsewhere but will be given a chance to interview for his position with the new coach.
Either way, the goaltending at the NHL level — Nedeljkovic, starter Tristan Jarry and prospect Joel Blomqvist — was not strong enough in 2024-25.
Dubas indicated the plan is for Nedeljkovic and Jarry to return next season but there will be open competition with Blomqvist as well as fellow promising prospect Sergei Murashov.
“There’s two young guys that are going to be pushing,” Dubas said April 21. “That was the message we gave to Tristan and (Nedeljkovic). … Those guys are going to be given every opportunity to win jobs, as well.”
Nedeljkovic has every intention of battling for his job.
“I’m going to go into the summer doing my best to prepare and hopefully come back here and come into camp in great shape,” Nedeljkovic said. “Build off these last two years and hopefully get us back on track and get us back into a winning season and ultimately into the playoffs and a chance to compete for the Stanley Cup. That’s just what I’m focused on. Whatever decisions they make is what they make. It’s out of my control now.
“All I can control is just showing up every day with a good attitude and the right mindset to get better and just improve.”