SAN JOSE — The San Jose Sharks on Friday answered any lingering questions about their goaltending tandem for next season, signing goalie Alex Nedeljkovic to a two-year, $6 million contract extension that carries a $3 million average annual value.
Acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins last July, Nedeljkovic has an 11-9-2 record and a .902 save percentage in 26 games with the Sharks this season, as he and rookie Yaroslav Askarov have formed San Jose’s goaltending tandem. Askarov is signed through next season with a salary cap hit of $2 million.
Nedeljkovic, 30, had been one of the Sharks’ pending unrestricted free agents, as he is in the final year of a two-year, $5 million contract he signed with the Penguins in June 2024.
Over his previous eight appearances, Nedeljkovic has played some of his best hockey of the season, going 6-1-0 with a .928 save percentage.
The Sharks (30-25-4) this season have a team save percentage of .885, which ranked 21st in the NHL before Friday’s games. The Sharks, who are three points out of a playoff spot, play the St. Louis Blues on Friday and the New York Islanders on Saturday to close out a six-game homestand.
There was speculation that the Sharks had interest in Florida goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, a pending UFA with a $10 million cap hit. Bobrovsky, 37, is a two-time Vezina Trophy winner and led the Panthers to the Stanley Cup each of the past two seasons. Bringing back Nedeljkovic eliminates that possibility.
In 205 career NHL games with Carolina, Detroit, Pittsburgh, and San Jose, Nedeljkovic has an 85-69-29 record and a .903 save percentage with nine shutouts.
The NHL trade deadline is Friday at noon, and the Sharks have other roster questions. The Sharks’ other pending UFAs are forwards Ryan Reaves and Pavol Regenda, defensemen Mario Ferraro, John Klingberg, Timothy Liljegren, and Vincent Desharnais. The only defensemen signed past this season are veteran Dmitry Orlov and rookie Sam Dickinson.
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