The Edmonton Oilers and Pittsburgh Penguins are in two completely different spots heading toward the trade deadline this season. The Oilers have had their share of ups and downs having started the season 3-9-1 and cleaning out their coaching staff before going on a 16-game winning streak that launched them back into a playoff spot. At the same time, the Penguins came into the season with hopes of helping bring their aging core another Stanley Cup, but have been underwhelming and underachieving. After they decided to alter their roster with a massive Erik Karlsson trade, the Penguins were viewed as a threat to win the Eastern Conference and make it to the Stanley Cup Final.
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Unfortunately, the Penguins’ playoff hopes are slipping away with under two weeks until the 2024 Trade Deadline. With Jake Guentzel‘s name being tossed around in trade rumours this season, it wouldn’t be surprising to see other players be thrown into trade talks. While the Oilers should be looking to bring in Guentzel to bolster their top-six forward group, there is another player they should look at if they still want to bolster their goaltending depth: Alex Nedeljkovic. While upgrading between the pipes may not be a priority for the Oilers right now, they should at least inquire and see what the price to acquire him would be. If it’s not overly expensive, they should pull the trigger.
Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard have been solid this season and have performed well enough to help backstop the Oilers to a spot near the top of the Pacific Division standings. However, heading into the postseason, they should seek a stronger tandem. Pickard is solid and has proven himself, but he isn’t someone the Oilers can rely on to carry them to victory if Skinner gets injured, or his play starts to slip. Nedeljkovic likely wouldn’t be an expensive asset to acquire, and the Oilers should be able to bring him in without any issues.
Who Is Alex Nedeljkovic?
Nedeljkovic is a 28-year-old goaltender from Parma, Ohio who was drafted in the second round of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft by the Carolina Hurricanes at 37th overall. He made a name for himself during his draft year with the Plymouth Whalers of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) where he played 26 games posting a 2.28 goals-against-average (GAA) and a .923 save percentage (SV%). He followed it up with another strong season with the Whalers where he played in 61 games posting a 2.88 GAA and a .925 SV%. Through 191 total games in the OHL split between the Whalers and Flint Firebirds, he posted a 2.88 GAA and a .918 SV% and won 89 games.
Since making it to the NHL, Nedeljkovic has posted a 2.91 GAA and a .908 SV% through 122 games over parts of seven seasons, having won 51 of those games with time split between the Hurricanes, Detroit Red Wings, and Penguins. This season, he has posted a 2.67 GAA and a .915 SV% through 19 games with the Penguins. He has proven himself as a solid backup goaltender who can steal games for teams if he has a hot night. If the Oilers were to bring him in, he would be an upgrade on Pickard and could be trusted to start a playoff game if needed, all while being a cheap acquisition.
What Would it Cost to Bring Him In?
As mentioned several times throughout the article, the asking price for Nedeljkovic shouldn’t be too high. Realistically, a trade between the two looks like the Oilers acquiring him in exchange for Pickard, a 2026 third-round pick, and a 2025 seventh-round pick. Pickard gives the Penguins a new backup to finish out the season with, and the team adds two draft picks. With their rather weak prospect pool, the Penguins adding draft capital is a bonus in itself and is something they should be looking to do so they can start building for their future.
Nedeljkovic adds some stability between the pipes and is someone the Oilers should be targeting at the 2024 Trade Deadline. They have some other holes to fill and should focus on those first, which are a defensive depth upgrade and a scoring forward, but if he becomes available, the Oilers should be all over him. They are back in action on Monday (Feb. 26) in a matchup against the Los Angeles Kings where they will be looking to bounce back from a tough 6-3 loss to the Calgary Flames. Hopefully, they make the right moves and can make it back to their first Stanley Cup Final since 2006, and win their first Stanley Cup since 1990.
