Nedeljkovic fell into a backup role with the Red Wings last season and went 5-7-2 with a 3.53 GAA and .895 SV% in 15 games (13 starts). This summer he signed with Penguins, where he'll serve as Tristan Jarry's backup. He had a strong pre-season but is far from the goalie we saw in 2021 when he posted a 1.90 GAA and .932 SV%. Nedeljkovic has a sub-par matchup vs. the Flames and should probably be left on the waiver wire until he has a better matchup.
Pittsburgh Penguins News
Nedeljkovic fell into a backup role with the Red Wings last season and went 5-7-2 with a 3.53 GAA and .895 SV% in 15 games (13 starts). This summer he signed with Penguins, where he'll serve as Tristan Jarry's backup. He had a strong pre-season but is far from the goalie we saw in 2021 when he posted a 1.90 GAA and .932 SV%. Nedeljkovic has a sub-par matchup vs. the Flames and should probably be left on the waiver wire until he has a better matchup.
Jarry will get his second start for the Penguins in as many games and look to help them secure their first victory of the season. Despite a 4-2 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks, Jarry played reasonably well in the season opener, saving 32 of 35 shots. The Penguins are -120 road favourites against the Capitals, who will be playing their first game of the season.
Jarry picked up 24 wins for the Penguins in the 2022-23 season to go along with a 2.90 GAA and a .909 SV% across 47 appearances. He is expected to command a heavy workload for the Penguins this season and will get the nod in their season opener against Chicago. Jarry looks to be one of the safer starts on the slate as the Penguins are heavy favourites over Connor Bedard’s Blackhawks tonight.
Hamaliuk was acquired by Pittsburgh as part of the three-way trade involving San Jose and Montreal that saw superstar Erik Karlsson also land with the Penguins. The 22-year-old left-winger was San Jose's 2019 second-round pick (55th overall) and has yet to make his NHL debut. In 2022-23 he had three goals, nine points and 37 PIMs across 44 games with San Jose (AHL) in his first professional season.
Karlsson was acquired by Pittsburgh as part of a massive blockbuster trade with involves both San Jose and Montreal. The 33-year-old defensemen is fresh off of winning the 2022-23 Norris Trophy after a season which saw him surpass 100+ points for the first time in his career with 25 goals, 76 assists, 209 SOG, 36 PIMs and a -26 plus/minus through 82 games with San Jose last season. The addition of the superstar brings 178 goals and 761 points in 920 games alongside three Norris Trophies to the Penguins' blue line.
O'Connor had five goals, six assists, 62 SOG, 12 PIMs and a -3 plus/minus through 46 games with Pittsburgh in 2022-23 and has signed a two-year, $1.85 million extension ($975,000 AAV). The 25-year-old undrafted left-winger took a big step forward last season with the Penguins and now has eight goals, 17 points and 110 SOG through 78 career NHL games played.
Gruden had 16 goals, 15 assists, 54 PIMs and a -8 plus/minus through 54 games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (AHL) in 2022-23 and has re-signed a one-year, $775,000 contract extension with Pittsburgh. The 23-year-old left-winger made his NHL debut with the Penguins in 2022-23, but failed to pick up a point across a short, three-game showing. He was drafted in the fourth-round of the 2018 draft (95th overall) by the Ottawa Senators.
Johnsson had three assists, 18 SOG, six PIMs and a -6 plus/minus through 13 games with both New Jersey and San Jose in 2022-23 and has signed a one-year, $800,000 AAV contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins. The 28-year-old left-winger will be hoping for a resurgent season in the NHL after spending most of 2022-23 in the minors (AHL). He joins Pittsburgh with 48 goals and 116 points across 259 career NHL games with Toronto, New Jersey and San Jose across six seasons.
Imama had five goals, 10 assists, 109 PIMs and a +3 plus/minus with the Tucson Roadrunners (AHL) in 2022-23 and has signed a one-year, two-way contract worth $775,000 with Ottawa. The 26-year-old left-winger also appeared in five games for Arizona last season but failed to pick up a point to go along with his five PIMs and -2 plus/minus. He brings a goal, 10 PIMs and nine games of NHL experience to the Senators.
Koppanen had an assist, two SOG, and four PIMs through five games with Boston in 2022-23 and has signed a two-year, two-way contract worth $1.55 million ($775,000 AAV) with Pittsburgh. The 25-year-old left-winger was Boston's 2016 fifth-round pick (135th overall) and made his NHL debut in 2022-23.
Shea had seven goals, 21 assists, 36 PIMs and a +37 plus/minus through 70 games with the Texas Stars (AHL) and has signed a one-year, one-way $775,00 contract with Pittsburgh. The 26-year-old was drafted by Chicago in 2015 in the fourth-round (121st overall) and has yet to make his NHL debut despite his constant success at the AHL level.
Graves had eight goals, 18 assists, 141 SOG, 28 PIMs and a +34 plus/minus through 78 games played with New Jersey in 2022-23 and has signed a six-year, $27 million contract ($4,500,000 AAV) with Pittsburgh. The 28-year-old led the NHL in plus/minus in 2019-20 with Colorado (+40) and has racked up 28 goals and 100 points across 302 NHL games in his career thus far.
Hollowell had two assists, four SOG, two PIMs and a +3 plus/minus through six games with Toronto in 2022-23 and has signed a one-year, two-way contract ($775,000 AAV) with the New York Rangers. The 24-year-old defenseman was Toronto's 2018 fourth-round pick (118th overall) and should provide the Rangers with some defensive depth after making his NHL debut in 2022-23.
Johnstone had nine goals, 13 assists, 39 PIMs and a +5 plus/minus through 69 games with the Toronto Marlies (AHL) in 2022-23 and has signed a two-year, two-way contract extension ($775,000 AAV) with Pittsburgh. The 27-year-old right-winger has never played in the NHL after being signed out of Sacred Heart University (NCAA) in 2020-21.
Nedeljkovic struggled in 2022-23 with Detroit as he put up a 5-7-2 record with a .895 SV% and 3.53 GAA but has signed a one-year contract with Pittsburgh worth $1.5 million. The 27-year-old netminder has appeared in 103 games across his NHL career, producing a 42-38-15 record, 2.96 GAA and .907 SV%. He was a Calder Trophy finalist in 2020-21 when he was with the Carolina Hurricanes.
Jarry was 24-13-7 with a 2.90 GAA and .909 SV% in 2022-23 and has signed a five-year contract extension worth $26.875 million ($5.375M AAV). The 28-year-old goaltender was drafted by the Penguins in the second-round of the 2013 draft (44th overall) and has a 117-60-20 career record, 2.65 GAA and .914 SV% through seven seasons in Pittsburgh.
Acciari had 14 goals, nine assists, 102 SOG, 21 PIMs and a -4 plus/minus through 77 games with both St.Louis and Toronto in 2022-23 and has signed a three-year contract worth $6.0 million ($2.0M AAV) with Pittsburgh. The 31-year-old hard hitting forward has amassed 384 games played throughout his eight year career and has picked up 59 goals and 100 points in 384 games.
Glass had 14 goals, 21 assists, 131 SOG, 20 PIMs and a +9 plus/minus through 72 games with Nashville in 2022-23 and has signed a two-year contract extension worth $5 million ($2,500,000 AAV). The 24-year-old centre joined Nashville from Vegas in 2021-22 and has picked up 23 goals and 58 points across his 146 game career.
Bunting had 23 goals, 49 points, 174 SOG, 103 PIMs and a +21 plus/minus through 82 games with Toronto in 2022-23 and has signed a three-year contract worth $13.5 million ($4.5M AAV) with Carolina. The 27-year-old left-winger will be joining his third NHL team after two seasons in both Arizona and Toronto and brings 57 goals and 126 points across 187 career games to the Hurricanes.