Alex Nedeljkovic
| Birthday: 1996-01-07 | Position: G |
| Eligible for draft: 2014 | Catches: Left |
| Drafted: 2014 | Height: 6-0 |
| Acquired: 2nd round (37th overall), 2014 | Weight: 190 lbs. |
Probability of Success
- C
History
2010-11: Alex Nedeljkovic played for the Cleveland Barons bantam AAA team — posting a 1.97 goals against in 52 games. He was among the youth goalies invited to the 2011 Warren Strelow National Team Goaltending Camp run by USA Hockey.
2011-12: Nedljkovic appeared in two games with the Cleveland Barons U18 midget team and played goal for the Belle Tire U16 team that finished second in the Midwest and was third at the 2012 USA Hockey Tier 1 U16 Nationals. He had a 4.32 goals against and .889 save percentage with the Barons. Nedeljkovic had a 1.88 goals against and .903 save percentage in 18 regular season games for Belle Tire and posted a 2.50 goals against and .915 save percentage in four playoff games. He was selected by Plymouth in the sixth round (123rd overall) in the 2012 OHL Priority Draft.
2012-13: Nedeljkovic made his OHL debut with Plymouth as a 16-year-old — after spending time with the Metro Jets in the NA3HL — and gradually took over the starter’s role for the Whalers. He was 19-2-1 with 2 shutouts in 26 regular season games for Plymouth; posting a 2.28 goals against and .923 save percentage. The Whalers finished first in the West Division and reached the Western Conference finals against OHL champion London. Nedljkovic appeared in all 15 playoff games. He was 9-5 with 1 shutout and had a 2.71 goals against and .908 save percentage. In nine NA3HL games with the Jets he had a 2.49 goals against and .933 save percentage. Nedeljkovic attended USA Hockey’s Select 17 Festival in July, 2013.
2013-14: Nedeljkovic played for the USA U18 team in the 2013 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament in August before returning to Plymouth for his second OHL season. He finished the year leading the USA U18 team to a gold medal at the World Juniors in Finland. In 61 regular season games for the Whalers he was 26-27-7 with 1 shutout and had a 2.88 goals against and .925 save percentage. Plymouth finished fourth in the West Division and faced eventual OHL champion Guelph in the first round. Nedeljkovic started all five playoff games and was 1-4 with a 4.41 goals against and .905 save percentage. In six games at the WJC he was 5-1 with 1 shutout and had a 1.84 goals against and .902 save percentage. Nedeljkovic was 3-1 in four games at the Ivan Hlinka Tournament, suffering his only loss in the gold medal game against Canada. He had a 2.99 goals-against and .897 save percentage. Nedeljkovic was named to Team Cherry for the 2014 CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game. Ranked fourth amongst North American goaltenders in the Central Scouting final rankings he was selected by Carolina in the second round (37th overall) in the 2014 NHL Draft.
2014-15: Nedeljkovic signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Hurricanes in March 2015. He made his pro hockey debut with the ECHL’s Florida Everblades following his junior season with the Plymouth Whalers. He was 2-1 with a 3.38 goals against and .841 save percentage for the Everblades. Nedeljkovic suffered a thumb injury during summer training, missing the Hurricanes development camp and the USA Hockey Evaluation Camp in Lake Placid. He participated in Carolina’s training camp before being returned to Plymouth. A workhorse for the Whalers, he appeared in 19 of 23 games to start the year and played 55 games. Nedeljkovic was 20-28-7 with 5 shutouts and had a 3.13 goals against and .916 save percentage. The Whalers finished fourth in the West Division, eight points behind Saginaw for the final Western Conference playoff spot. Nedeljkovic was with the USA U20 squad at the 2015 World Junior Championship but did not appear in any games as a backup to Thatcher Demko and Brandon Halverson.
Talent Analysis
Nedeljkovic in an undersized-but-athletic goalie that has a flair for the dramatic when guarding his team’s net. He has proven he can thrive behind a good team (he was OHL Goaltender of the Year with Plymouth in 2013-14) and also handle a heavy workload, as he did last season on the first Whalers team to miss the postseason in more than two decades. Nedeljkovic is arguably one of junior hockey’s most athletic players, but at 5-foot-11 he will need prove he can consistently stop pucks in a world slowly being overrun by 6-foot-3-and-bigger goalies.
Future
Because he won’t turn 20 until January 2016, Nedeljkovic will play a fourth full major junior season this year with the relocated Flint Firebirds. He should again be an OHL workhorse — he’s played 116 regular season games over the past two seasons — and is in the running to be the United States’ starting goaltender at the 2016 World Junior Tournament. After this upcoming season, the Ohio native should being his pro career with the Hurricanes organization.
