NHL Draft War Room: Alex Nedeljkovic

by

by Eldon MacDonald (edited by @ChrisRalphTHW)

Alex Nedeljkovic

THW’s NHL Draft War Room Rankings (E-Mac):  Apr-14: #36

THW’s NHL Draft Rankings – The Next Ones Edition (aka Chris’s List): #48 (March 2014)

Alex Nedeljkovic
Alex Nedeljkovic moved up in CSS’s final draft rankings, and there is good reason for the higher listing. (Terry Wilson/OHL Images)
  • Hashtag: #MrReflex
  • Team: #39, Plymouth, OHL
  • Position: Goalie
  • Shoots: Right
  • Height: 6’0
  • Weight: 182 lb.
  • Born: Parma, OH, 7-Jan-96
  • Twitter: @Alex_Nedel39

Stats

Other Rankings

  • 30 – Craig Button, Mar-14
  • 42 – Bob MacKenzie, Jan-14
  • 82 – NHL Combined – Final, Apr-14
  • Number 2 goalie – ISS, Apr-14

Worth Retweeting

[The 2014 NHL Draft War Room: Prospect Profile Index

Contains All the Prospects Profiled in This Series]

Profiles

Interviews

Quotables

  • Quote 1: Brock Otten at OHLProspects.Blogspot.ca: “He’s not the biggest goalie (certainly doesn’t have the size teams have been looking for in netminders in recent years), but his agility allows him move so well in his crease that it compensates for a lack of size (if you want to call 6’0 a lack of size). Brian Finley was the last OHL goalie to be the first goalie taken in the draft and I think Nedeljkovic has a shot to do that (although let’s hope he turns out better than Finley did).”
  • Quote 2: Al Jensen of NHL Central Scouting at NHL.com: “He’s another very quick and athletic goalie; I like his drive and determination. He battles and has good strength in his crease area, has excellent recovery and lateral quickness. He’s got quick reactions, flaring out his pads to make low corner stops. He’s very smart and is capable of playing big games consistently.”

From the War Room

Eldon MacDonald, THW:  A few words on Alex Nedeljkovic:

  • Mr. Reflex – Mr. Reflex is not the biggest goalie in the world at 6’0 but he uses unbelievable reflexes, sound positioning and the willingness to do just about anything to keep the puck out of the net to be a success, night after night – akin to Ryan Miller‘s style. He will do what it takes to keep the puck out of the net without putting forth any unnecessary movements, like a controlled chaos.
  • Mental toughness – He was the mental fortitude to play his game with the same calmness whether he faces 20 or 50 shots a night.
  • Puck handler – Yes, he can move the puck like modern-day goalies are expected to do.
  • Top rated CHL goalie – Alex was the top ranked CHL goalie as rated by Bob MacKenzie’s poll of NHL scouts in January.
  • Excellent down the stetch – February – .949 save %; March – .938 save %. It is little wonder that he was recently named OHL Goaltender of the Year.
  • Draft placement – Can he make round one? There is a chance.
    • April 19 update: As the goalie for Team USA, Alex just got a shutout against Team Czech Republic at the U18 WJC in Finland. The stock keeps rising.

Video

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Goalies always seem to be wildcards in the draft these days. How high will he go? Join the conversation by commenting here, connect on Twitter with @ChrisRalphTHW and join the NHL Entry Draft Google + community for limitless draft talk.