Detroit Red Wings fans excited, Hurricanes fans incensed after Nedeljkovic trade
Steve Yzerman is ruining lives in North Carolina.
Detroit Red Wings fans are jigging and Carolina Hurricanes fans are considering jumping ship after a trade between the two teams Thursday. Yzerman, Detroit's general manager, sent goalie Jonathan Bernier and a third-round 2021 pick (No. 94 overall) to Carolina for Alex Nedeljkovic. (Then Yzerman signed him to a contract that pays $3 million each of the next two seasons, an amount apparently too high for the Canes).
Hurricanes followers had to be somewhat happy to get the extra pick, but it's easy to understand why they weren't as excited about a playoff team trading away a goaltender with a goals-against average under 2 for a goalie who is a pending free agent with a GAA approaching 3. Not to mention, Nedeljkovic is seven years younger than Bernier (who, for what it's worth, wasn't exactly playing behind the Russian Five as the Wings tied for the fewer points in their division).
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Nedeljkovic posted a .932 save percentage in 23 games last season, about 20 points higher than Bernier. Seems like solid value in exchange for a third-rounder and a goalie who's not your goalie of the future — and may have been leaving anyhow.
Everyone from league observers to bloggers for uninvolved teams seems to fans love this trade for the Wings and the contract for Nedeljkovic.
Now to the tweets:
These graphs and numbers just mean this guy is really good:
Alex Nedeljkovic, acquired by DET, played incredibly well as a rookie this season. Canes didn't want to pay the arbitration reward, so here we are. #LGRW pic.twitter.com/TtUcu7nlj3
— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) July 22, 2021
Hold up……Steve Yzerman finnessed the Carolina Hurricanes for their goalie??? This is news I love to hear. Red Wings on the way back, slowly but surely
— Shang-Chi🥋🗡 (@HJ_TheThird) July 22, 2021
Am I the only one absolutely confused about the Nedeljkovic to Red Wings trade? How could Carolina not resign him for that?
— Kyle (@KF_Kadri43) July 22, 2021
A classic .gif for one-sided trades:
Meanwhile, Yzerman just acquired his number one goalie for some magic beans and a pending UFA.
This guy is something else. He identified CAR didn’t love the Nedeljkovic situation and pounced. That’s how you do it. https://t.co/nXhnlsnb2K— Rachel Doerrie (@racheldoerrie) July 22, 2021
Been very impressed with the @DetroitRedWings trades so far let’s keep it going boys! #redwings #Hockey #hockeytown #WINGS #goodmorning #GoWings #HockeyTwitter
— AJ (@angrycombatvet) July 22, 2021
When is the rest of the #NHL gonna send Yzerman's calls directly to voicemail? Feels like the millionth time he's robbed a train by just walking up to it and asking nicely. #Nedeljkovic #RedWings
— Matt Pocket (@cornerpocket422) July 22, 2021
These folks are less than pleased:
The Carolina Hurricanes have traded Alex Nedeljkovic to the Detroit Red Wings for a 3rd round pick and pending UFA Jonathan Bernier.
What a massive L.— Cardiac Cane (@CardiacCane) July 22, 2021
From Nedeljkovic’s agent…Trying not to overreact and there are so many moving pieces this off-season but the pieces better move fast if the Canes don’t want everyone to freak out about this lol. There’s gotta be a reason they couldn’t do this… https://t.co/KIiwoU2YdK
— Sara Civ (@SaraCivian) July 22, 2021
This Nedeljkovic trade has ruined my day
— Barstool Pack (@BarstoolPack) July 22, 2021
As they say in hockey... let's do that hockey!
Stupid how I am already excited for Red Wings hockey 🥲
— Oh Nyquist (@OhNyquist) July 22, 2021
Follow the Free Press on Facebook and Twitter for more news. Tyler Davis can be contacted at tjdavis@freepress.com or on Twitter @TDavisFreep.
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Red Wings fans excited after Alex Nedeljkovic trade
