Hurricanes, goalie Nedeljkovic agree to terms

RALEIGH, NC – Ron Francis, Executive Vice President and General Manager of the National Hockey League’s Carolina Hurricanes, today announced that the team has agreed to terms with goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic (neh-DEL-koh-vitch) on a three-year, entry-level contract. At the NHL level, the deal will pay Nedeljkovic $700,000 in 2015-16, $750,000 in 2016-17 and $800,000 in 2017-18. In the minor leagues, he will make $70,000 in each season, and he will receive a signing bonus of $277,500. Nedeljkovic will join the Hurricanes’ American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers, for the remainder of the 2014-15 season.

“Alex had another strong year with Plymouth, and we are pleased with his development thus far,” said Francis. “We anticipate that he will play an important role in our organization’s future.”

Nedeljkovic, 19, recently completed his third season of major-junior hockey with the Plymouth Whalers of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). He finished the season ranked first among OHL goaltenders saves (1,827) and shots faced (1,994), tied for third in shutouts (5), fourth in games (55) and minutes played (3,206), fifth in save percentage (.916) and 12th in goals-against average (3.13). The Parma, OH, native posted a 20-28-7 record with Plymouth, finishing 14th among OHL goalies in wins despite the Whalers finishing ninth in the Western Conference with a 23-38-7 record.

In three OHL seasons with Plymouth, Nedeljkovic (6’0”, 190 lbs.) has compiled a 65-57-16 record, a 2.88 goals-against average and a .921 save percentage in 142 regular-season games. He was named OHL Goaltender of the Year and a member of the OHL First All-Star Team following the 2013-14 season, after posting 26-27-7 record, a 2.88 goals-against average and a .925 save percentage in 61 games. The Hurricanes drafted Nedeljkovich in the second round, 37th overall, in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft.