Little by little, the Pittsburgh Penguins are getting healthier.
On Thursday, the Penguins announced that they have activated goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic from injured reserve and loaned him to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS), the team’s AHL affiliate, on a conditioning stint.
Although there is still no set timetable for Nedeljkovic’s return, this is a good sign that the netminder – who went 18-7-7 with a 2.96 goals-against average (GAA) and a .906 save percentage (SV%) – will see NHL action relatively soon.
WBS takes on the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in back-to-back games on Friday and Saturday, so Nedeljkovic figures to start in at least one of those games.
Nedeljkovic went to WBS last season for a one-game conditioning stint, and he, famously, scored a goalie goal while he was there.
To say the least, the Penguins’ goaltending situation is getting a bit interesting. Starter Tristan Jarry was pulled from his start on Wednesday against the Buffalo Sabres after allowing three first period goals, and he owns a 5.47 GAA and a .833 SV% on the young season.
Rookie Joel Blomqvist – who broke the roster out of camp due to Nedeljkovic’s injury – has impressed in three outings this season and was a huge reason why the Penguins were able to come back and secure the 6-5 overtime win against Buffalo.
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Once Nedeljkovic’s conditioning stint is over, the Penguins will have one too many goaltenders at the NHL level. If Blomqvist starts Friday’s game against the Carolina Hurricanes – and, again, impresses – there will be some tough decisions to make.
Of course, the Penguins technically have the option to roster three goaltenders. This is extremely rare at the NHL level under regular conditions, but given the situation that their presumed starter is struggling to an extreme right now – and has a hefty contract that would be difficult to move out – it may be their only option. The team has been rolling with 22 rostered players for three out of five games anyway, so they can afford to use that extra spot on a goaltender.
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This is not ideal, however. In the event of forward or defensive injuries, it offers a bit more complication, especially since the team begins a Western Canada road swing on Sunday against the Winnipeg Jets. The team will not return to Pittsburgh until October 29 against the Minnesota Wild, making it difficult to recall roster replacements from WBS.
There are no easy answers, and Nedeljkovic’s conditioning stint will buy the team at least a few more days to make some decisions. But with Nedeljkovic back in the fold very soon, Pittsburgh’s goaltending situation will certainly be one to keep an eye on.
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