The Detroit Red Wings may have a better goaltending situation than they have had in recent years, but things are surely not where they should be. Netminder Ville Husso is proving to be what Steve Yzerman needed out of a 1A part of the tandem, but the backup options have struggled.
It has been Alex Nedeljkovic who has been the number two option for the Detroit Red Wings. But Magnus Hellberg has also logged a game that did not go great. While the Red Wings’ play in front of Hellberg was sloppy, it still was not the best chance for Hellberg to prove himself.
Hellberg deserves another chance; after all, he only allowed three goals which is somehow better than many of the games where Nedeljkovic is in the net. The struggle to find a true backup goalie has continued to be a problem for the Red Wings.
Detroit Red Wings backup goalie woes continue in 2022-23 season.
The Red Wings traded for Alex Nedeljkovic last season and hoped he would be the team’s 1A option. This ultimately did not work out, as Nedeljkovic posted a lackluster performance during his first campaign with the team.
After working his way into the Calder race during the 2020-21 season with the Carolina Hurricanes, things have not returned to that level for Nedeljkovic since. He’s been atrocious as the Red Wings’ backup.
Nedeljkovic is 2-4-2 in 2022-23 over nine games played. Perhaps the more staggering thing is that his goals-against average is 4.09, and his save percentage is only .880 for the Red Wings. It’s been hard to watch, and the Red Wings will have to do something about it if it continues.
Hellberg’s first chance with the Red Wings was not smooth either, but he will likely still get a chance to show his stuff. The biggest thing for the Red Wings to keep in mind is that Husso will not be able to play every game.
Goalies in today’s game do a lot more platooning with their backup. Husso has played 21 games, which is 70% of the Red Wings games. While the team has two goalies working as backups, the team needs a solution.
Sebastian Cossa was drafted in 2021 and will not get into the NHL until he is ready. Husso has the reins right now, but finding a better option for the team’s backup role could help curb some of these poor performances when Husso is in net.
Nedeljkovic playing this poorly is not going to fly. Something has to change before Yzerman is forced to make a move.