What led Alex Nedeljkovic back to the San Jose Sharks?

The 30-year-old, who’s posted an 11-9-2 record and .902 Save % this season, said that serious conversations about his two-year, $6 million extension began about two weeks ago between Mike Grier and his agent, Richard Evans. Nedeljkovic preferred getting this extension done now, versus testing the market in free agency.

“Who knows what happens, there’s still 20-something games left,” Nedeljkovic said. “Then you’ve got to wait three months… for playoffs to be done, and then the draft, and a lot can happen in that time. So, we were excited. I was excited when Mike [Grier] said there was interest in getting something done.”

The veteran goalie could’ve gotten a decent payday this offseason. Among pending UFA goalies to play at least 10 games this season, Nedeljkovic is tied for first in Save % with the Florida Panthers’ Daniil Tarasov.

The #TheFutureIsTeal signed 30 y/o G Alex Nedeljkovic to a 2 year $3M cap hit extension

Yr 1: $2M Salary, $1M Signing Bonus
Yr 2: $3M Salary

3 Team Trade List in 1st year, no trade protection in 2nd year

Rep’d by Richard Evans @wassermanhockey https://t.co/RIIIGLc9kI

— PuckPedia (@PuckPedia) March 6, 2026

“We didn’t want to go anywhere. We had talked about it. We wanted to stick around,” Nedeljkovic said, referring to his family.  “This is a young team that’s growing and taking steps in the right direction. So, to have that stability and little bit of security the next couple years… It’s just exciting. You just never know. The grass isn’t always greener.”

Notably, Nedeljkovic will have a three-team trade list next season, but no trade protection the following year.

“Things change very quick in this league,” Nedeljkovic said. “Last time I signed a two-year deal, I didn’t make it through the entire thing. So, I’m hoping that’s not the case here. We’d love to play it out here, but you just take it day by day. Nothing changes.”

Nedeljkovic was talking about the two-year, $6 million contract that he inked with the Detroit Red Wings in the summer of 2021 to be their starter.

Equally as important as Nedeljkovic’s on-ice play, if not more, is his mentoring of the team’s goalie of the future, Yaroslav Askarov. Nedeljkovic wants to support the youngster the same way James Reimer, Petr Mrazek, and Thomas Greiss supported him early in his career.

“Help him out and encourage him, try to be a positive voice for him,” Nedeljkovic said of his dynamic with Askarov. “It’s a hard position. It doesn’t matter if it’s Year 1 or Year 10, the pressure is always on and there’s a lot of challenges that come with it.”

The newly-extended San Jose Sharks goalie will start on Friday against the St. Louis Blues, and keep the same mental approach he’s maintained all season.

“Just be a little bit more consistent and give the guys a chance to win every time it’s my night to go,” Nedeljkovic said. “Tonight’s no different… We’ll just take it one shot at a time.”