Detroit Red Wings Assign Alex Nedeljkovic to Grand Rapids for Conditioning
The Detroit Red Wings today assigned goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic to the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins for conditioning.
Nedeljkovic, 26, has appeared in nine games with the Red Wings this season, posting a 2-4-2 record with a 4.09 goals-against average and a 0.880 save percentage. The 6-foot, 208-pound goaltender was acquired by the Red Wings in a trade with the Carolina Hurricanes on July 22, 2021 and led all NHL rookie netminders in games played (59), shots against (1,796), saves (1,618), time on ice (3,230:48), shutouts (4) and assists (2) during the 2021-22 campaign. Nedeljkovic finished third in voting for the Calder Memorial Trophy and made the NHL All-Rookie Team in 2020-21 after showing a 15-5-3 record with a 1.90 goals-against average, a 0.932 save percentage and three shutouts in 23 appearances with the Hurricanes, in addition to logging a 4-5 record with a 2.17 goals-against average, a 0.930 save percentage and one shutout in nine postseason contests. Originally drafted by Carolina in the second round (37th overall) of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, Nedeljkovic has compiled a 39-35-15 record with a 2.98 goals-against average, a 0.906 save percentage and seven shutouts in 97 appearances over parts of six NHL seasons with the Red Wings and Hurricanes since 2016-17. Nedeljkovic also earned a Calder Cup championship with the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers in 2019 after leading the AHL in wins (34) for the second-consecutive year and goals-against average (2.26) en route to claiming the Baz Bastien Memorial Award as the league’s top goaltender and a spot on the AHL First All-Star Team. Additionally, Nedeljkovic became the 13th goaltender in AHL history to score a goal when he accomplished the feat with the Checkers on March 10, 2018, and the 12th netminder in ECHL history to score a goal when he did so with the Florida Everblades on Dec. 30, 2016.
A native of Parma, Ohio, Nedeljkovic has several ties to the state of Michigan, notably as a teammate of Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin on the 2011-12 Belle Tire U16 team. Prior to turning professional, Nedeljkovic posted an 89-77-20 record with a 2.88 goals-against average, a 0.918 save percentage and 10 shutouts in 191 Ontario Hockey League games between the Plymouth Whalers, Flint Firebirds and Niagara IceDogs from 2012-16. He was named the OHL’s Goaltender of the Year in 2013-14 and earned back-to-back selections on the OHL Third All-Star Team the following two seasons. Nedeljkovic has represented the United States several times on the international stage, winning a bronze medal at the 2016 IIHF World Junior Championship after tallying a 4-2 record with a 1.66 goals-against average and a 0.943 save percentage. He also helped his country earn a gold medal at the 2014 IIHF World Under-18 Championship after leading the tournament with a 1.84 goals-against average.