The Pittsburgh Penguins have found a dynamic tandem to carry them between the pipes.

Kyle Dubas has seen mixed results from his first offseason as Pittsburgh Penguins President and general manager. However, he should be commended for revising the Penguins goaltending situation.

Dubas and the Penguins took a gamble this summer when signing Tristan Jarry to a long-term contract, given his injury issues in recent years. They also took a gamble at the backup position, letting go of long-time backup Casey DeSmith in favor of Alex Nedeljkovic.

Nedeljkovic was coming off a rough two-year stretch with the Detroit Red Wings. He finished his time in Detroit with a 25-31-11 record and spent more time at the AHL level last season (26 GP) than at the NHL level (15 GP).

Since arriving in Pittsburgh, Nedeljkovic has been nothing short of excellent for the Penguins. Despite battling an injury earlier in the season, "Ned" has a 5-2-1 record and has amassed a .927 save percentage. He also has 6.8 goals saved above expected, which places him 14th among all NHL goaltenders.

His emergence is massive for Penguins starting netminder Tristan Jarry. Jarry has had to take on a large workload most of his career due to volatile performance from Casey DeSmith and various other backups. 

This season has been no different thus far due to Nedeljkovic's early injury absence. Jarry is currently on pace to start 58 games, tying his career-high set in 2021-22. However, Nedeljkovic's steady play has garnered more playing time of late, three starts in the past four games, and should result in a more balanced workload moving forward.

Both goaltenders have been vital to the Penguins this season. The Penguins are 22nd in expected goals allowed this season but are 6th in actual goals allowed. That's a credit to the work Jarry and Nedeljkovic have done this season and the work Kyle Dubas did this offseason to bring them both in.

With January approaching, we're about to test this vital position. Jarry's numbers have historically dipped heavily during the latter months of the season. Will this year be any different? 

One thing is undeniable. Having Nedeljkovic share the crease and ensure a lighter workload will be pivotal to keep Jarry fresh for the remainder of this season.

Nedeljkovic is in Pittsburgh on a one-year deal, but no one would be surprised if Dubas is already thinking of a possible extension for the Penguins' backup netminder.

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