When Petr Mrazek went down with a thumb injury back on Jan. 30, it sparked the first real extended NHL opportunity for Canes’ netminder Alex Nedeljkovic.
Nedeljkovic, the Hurricanes’ second-round pick back in 2014, played four games in 2019-20 and one game in both 2016-17 and 2018-19, but had never stuck around with the NHL club for longer than that four-appearance stretch late last season.
Now Nedeljkovic has played in nine games in 2021, and he’s played really well. Nedeljkovic has a 2.08 GAA and .929 save percentage, and he’s presenting Carolina management with a really tough decision when Mrazek eventually returns; to keep Nedeljkovic or James Reimer with the NHL squad.