"Nedeljkovic, whose journey has taken him from Carolina to Detroit to Pittsburgh and now San Jose, all before reaching age 30, is an affordable veteran mostly serving to keep the crease warm for 2020 first-rounder Yaroslav Askarov as the spunky young Sharks try to put their pieces together. I'm glad he's there and has a job. Because while Ned, as he's known, is not exactly "good" or even "dependable," he mans the pipes with a whimsy I find refreshing."
"In San Jose's season opener hosting the Golden Knights, Nedeljkovic was steady through 58 minutes, saving 26 of 28 shots and carrying the Sharks to a 3-2 lead. Then things got extremely weird. With Vegas's net empty, the Sharks failed to clear the puck because Alexander Wennberg smacked it into the jumbotron. Then on the ensuing faceoff, William Eklund had two beautiful chances to score the empty-netter, but was nudged just wide each time."
John Gibson, traded to Detroit this summer to address the team's goaltending problems, debuted with a striking jersey-and-pad combination but surrendered five goals on 13 shots and 1.48 xG before being pulled. Alex Nedeljkovic has moved from Carolina to Detroit to Pittsburgh and now San Jose before age 30 and serves as an affordable veteran behind prospect Yaroslav Askarov. In San Jose's season opener against Vegas, Nedeljkovic stopped 26 of 28 shots through 58 minutes but became involved in a bizarre sequence after an empty-net scramble and a misplayed puck that led to an easy goal for Reilly Smith. Both goaltenders endured difficult nights.
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