The Carolina Hurricanes traded away Alex Nedeljkovic yesterday, meaning they had no NHL goaltenders left under contract for the upcoming season. They do however have the exclusive negotiating rights to three veteran netminders and it looks like two of them could be in Carolina next season. Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic reports that the Hurricanes are in talks with Jonathan Bernier and Petr Mrazek, hoping to sign both.
Bernier, 32, was part of the return from Detroit yesterday and could very well represent an upgrade over the inexperienced Nedeljkovic. A veteran of nearly 400 regular season games, he posted a .914 save percentage in 24 appearances with Detroit last season, keeping his goals against average below 3.00 even behind one of the worst teams in the league. While those numbers certainly don’t hold up to the performance that Nedeljkovic put up in his short stint as the Carolina starter, Bernier has been rather consistent throughout his long career, never posting a save percentage under .904 in a full season.
Mrazek, on the other hand, has been a little less consistent over his 277-game career, though was excellent when healthy this year. In 12 appearances with the Hurricanes during the regular season, he posted an outstanding .923 save percentage and three shutouts.
The team did decide to go with Nedeljkovic over Mrazek in the playoffs though, which means bringing him back will not help the questions Carolina fans have been screaming since the trade was announced. At the very least, this will be a tandem with plenty of NHL experience, even if it does seem a bit underwhelming.
James Reimer, meanwhile, the other free agent goaltender in Carolina, is expected to go to market according to LeBrun. The 33-year-old had a .906 in 22 games with the Hurricanes this year, and has been a consistent performer–albeit usually in a tandem role–throughout his career.
Jonathan Bernier is such a downgrade at goalie. It’s absurd.
Heard Bernier was a cancer in Detroit’s locker room and the team wanted him out last season
Imagine choosing Bernier and Mrazek over your stud rookie who was a Calder candidate
Most of us on this forum have seen Nedelkovich over 10-20 recent games, likely on television, during which he’s looked like a stud rookie and Calder Candidate who’s worth at least the money he got from DET. Carolina has seen Nedelkovich over 237 games at 3 pro levels, plus however many junior games they scouted since his pre-draft year 8 seasons ago, and they’ve also seen him in training and the locker room, day-in day-out over 5 pro seasons. If they don’t think his 32 games of Calder-level performance represent the real thing, I’m inclined to give them the benefit of the doubt.
Or he wanted more money than they seem to want to pay for goaltending.
Reports are he and his wife hated North Carolina and he was thrilled to be traded to Detroit, which is far closer to his hometown.
That makes sense, figured it was something like Skinner where he wasn’t traded because he lacked ability. I wonder if they’re trying to talk LaFontaine out of going back Minnesota for a 5th year.
Alex and his wife liked North Carolina.
Once she finished school they were going to find a home there full time. He was disappointed him and the Canes couldn’t work out a contract.
Raleigh-Durham is a cesspool, of course he and his family hated it.
One thing is for sure and that’s that the Canes will never advance far in the playoffs with that level of goaltending.
“could very well represent an upgrade over the inexperienced Nedeljkovic???” You sort of lost me saying that.
Statistically last year the Canes had two of the best goalies in the NHL and looked like a great 1A 1B pairing that probably could have been signed for less $$ than we spent on goalies last year. They both performed better platooning than they every did being in net every game.
Waddle got away with putting Ned on waivers in January. This one really hurts the team.
If you don’t want to risk peak championship window years on a goalie with only 29 career games who had a .904 career SVP in the AHL, I can go along with that thinking.
But, when your plan is to run out a pair of middling retreads instead…
I’ll admit I lost my s*** when I saw the Canes traded Ned for Bernier. I’ve since read a bit that Ned was not the greatest dude and Car was kind of sick of his stuff. Still a bit skeptical but those stories make a bit a sense.
Still, as an accomplished FHM7 manager and lifelong hockey fan I’m gonna go with my gut and still say bad move.
Hahaha nice flex. FHM7 is fun, though.
Aye it’s not easy either hahah.
Leaf fans already tying Reimer back to Toronto as the 1B to Campbell.