Issue link: https://read.uberflip.com/i/1129975
10 // JUNE/JULY 2019 D I G I T A L E X C L U S I V E USAHOCKEYMAGAZINE.COM O F F T HE D R AW PHOTOS BY Getty Images I t's no secret that larger goaltenders are cur- rently en vouge. Look no further than the trio of this year's Vezina Trophy finalists, including 6-foot-4 netminders Robin Lehner and Andrei Vasilevskiy, and 6-foot-7 behemoth Ben Bishop. One level below the NHL sits the A merican Hockey League, and for now, Alex Nedeljkovic. The Carolina Hurricanes' "goalie of the future" won the Aldege "Baz" Bastien Memorial Award this season as the Most Outstanding Goaltender. Despite being just a shade over 6-foot-0, Nedeljkovic proved his value on a consistent basis. "The bigger the game, the better he plays," said Carolina Checkers head coach Mike Vellucci. "I have the utmost confidence in him." Nedeljkovic is among a subset of smaller goaltenders that have been able to carve out a path in professional hockey due to their exceptional athleticism. What the Parma, Ohio, native lacks in size he makes up for in his athleticism, aggressive playing style and hockey IQ. Those traits help him stand out in what has become a big man's game. Of the 65 goaltenders to play more than 15 games in the NHL this season, only eight of them stand at or under 6-feet-0. The 23-year-old finished with a 34-9-5 record and a 2.26 goals-against average, which led the league as the Checkers finished with 110 points, the most of any AHL club. Joining the Hurricanes organization after being d r a f t e d i n t h e s e c o n d r o u n d i n t h e 2 0 14 N H L D r a f t , N e d e l j k o v i c h a s had a profound impact in Charlotte as the franchise's career leader in wins (73) and shutouts (10). If he con- tinues on that path it won't be long before Nedeljkovic makes the move three hours east of Charlotte to the Hurricanes home in Raleigh. "I think Ned's an NHL goaltender," Vellucci said. "He does so many good things from moving the puck to his hockey IQ, to being a good teammate and a good leader. He's working extremely hard to get there and I don't think anything is going to stop him." P AHL "I think Ned 's an NHL goaltender ... He's working extremely hard to get there and I don't think anything is going to stop him." – MIKE VELLUCCI, Carolina Checkers head coach Nedeljkovic Playing Big Between The Pipes k Alex Nedeljkovic helped the Charlotte Checkers win the Calder Cup as the champions of the American Hockey League. By JEFF CARPENTER