(WSYM) — The Carolina Hurricanes dealt rookie goalie Alex Nedeljkovic to the Detroit Red Wings for the No. 94 pick in the draft this weekend and the rights to pending free agent netminder Jonathan Bernier.
Detroit signed Nedeljkovic to a $6 million, two-year contract — just under what the 25-year-old might have been awarded in an arbitration hearing.
“It’s very, very valuable to have cap space,” Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman said. “Cap space gives you the opportunity to do things and go in a lot of different directions, whether it’s make trades to simply improve your team, sign free agents, or in this era bring on players and get assets from teams that need to create cap space.”
Nedeljkovic, who had a 2.01 goals-against average and .928 save percentage last season, gives the rebuilding Red Wings the young presence in goal they’ve been looking for. The Hurricanes can turn their attention to re-signing Petr Mrazek or finding help elsewhere.
