The 2025 NHL Free Agent Frenzy brought plenty of goodness, and this one helps wind us down. Alex Nedeljkovic, most recently of the Pittsburgh Penguins, was traded to the San Jose Sharks. In return, the trade sees the Penguins obtain a 2028 third-round draft pick.
The Penguins have acquired a 2028 third-round draft pick from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic.
Pittsburgh now has 28 draft picks over the next three NHL drafts, including 16 picks in the first three rounds.
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— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) July 1, 2025
Penguins Acquire Future Draft Capital in Alex Nedeljkovic trade
Alex Nedeljkovic is 29 years old and an Ohio native. He was Carolina’s second-round draft pick in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. Cumulatively, he has had a solid NHL career to this point. 179 NHL games is nothing to shake a stick at. Furthermore, his stats shows he can play as good as the team in front of him. He has a career 74-60-27 record, with a 3.00 goals-against average, along with a .903 save percentage. He also has nine shutouts to his credit.
The past season in Pittsburgh wasn’t enough to get it done, thus the feeling he was expendable. He went 14-15-5, with a 3.12 GAA and .894 SV%, with one shutout. Moreover, for a team that is led by the ageless wonder, Sidney Crosby, they can’t accept mediocrity. Therefore, the trade does fit the Pens plan.
Now, it is interesting to note that Pittsburgh doesn’t currently have much in terms of NHL goalies. Tristan Jarry is their only listed full-time NHL contract, according to PuckPedia. Moreover, they do have a couple goalies on two-way deals, so it’s not like they are stuck. Sergei Murashov is a 21-year-old, Russian goalie coming off a solid year with the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. He had a .913 SV% and a 2.64 GAA in 16 games. He does likely need more seasoning in the minors, but fortunately, he’s not their top option. That honour belongs to the Finn, Joel Blomqvist. He’s ahead of the career-trajectory path of Murashov, for no other reason than he’s 23. Plus, he has NHL experience to his credit, albeit a small sample size. He has posted an .885 SV% in 15 games, from the 2024-25 season with the Pens.
The Pens want to win, so feel they can do, at least, just as good without Nedeljkovic. Of course, unless they have other plans ahead.
The Sharks Perspective in Picking Up Nedeljkovic
As for the Sharks, their organization is not in the same position as the Pens. The Sharks are in full rebuild mode. Conversely, with the likes of the ultra-talented Macklin Celebrini, and a few other prospects he is surrounded with, the rebuild will be done before you know it. That is something that general manager Mike Grier is trying his best to prepare for, whichever way the ship turns. Building depth at the goaltending position is rarely a bad thing. When you can do it, by building the future, along with improving your team’s trajectory, there might be some magic brewing.
Nedeljkovic provides great support for a guy like Yaroslav Askarov. Askarov is still just 23, and it may come as a surprise, given how much you seem to hear of him, still only has 16 games of NHL experience under his belt. In his mind, he’s been ready for the show. It seems that 2025-26 will be an interesting season in The Bay, right from the tender-on-out. Stay tuned to see if they make a big step, or if they stay in the rebuild cycle.
Main Photo Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
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