Since the day the New Jersey Devils drafted Simon Nemec second overall in 2022, it feels like he has never been the first option. Let’s be honest, the Montreal Canadiens taking Juraj Slafkovsky first overall at the 2022 NHL Draft threw a monkey wrench into the entire draft. New Jersey was left scrambling and went back to what they knew defense by selecting Nemec that year.
However, given the constant reshaping of the defence by current President and General Manager Tom Fitzgerald, Simon Nemec has felt he has not received the opportunities a second-overall defenseman should receive. Now part of it is on him. The one season he got hurt playing in the Olympic Qualifier for Slovakia, and was behind the eight-ball, losing his spot to Johnathan Kovacevic.
The Devils Are Looking to Bring Anton Silayev to North America This Offseason
Not to mention, Nemec has made comments in the past about his displeasure with going to the AHL to develop his game while other players stayed on the main roster, making the same mistakes. All Nemec wants it a chance to show what he can do for the Devils.
As we have seen on the Olympic stage, Nemec can handle the role of a top-pair defenseman in the NHL. Prior to the trade deadline, Nemec switched agents from J.P. Barry at CAA to Craig Oster at Newport. The reason being he is getting ready for a contract negotiation this summer as a restricted free agent.
Over the last two seasons, Fitzgerald and a couple of lengthy ones. One with Dawson Mercer and, last summer, with Luke Hughes, that bled into training camp. New Jersey does not want that again. However, the reports were approaching the deadline, and he was looking for Luke Hughes’s seven-year, $9 million-a-season contract. That is not happening with the Devils.
Devils Rumors: Will New Jersey Move Simon Nemec Or Any Other Defensemen?
The most likely scenario is that if Nemec remains with the club, it will be on a bridge deal. As Fitzgerald noted on multiple occasions, the young defenseman needs a new contract, and he is confident he can get it done.
“I’m confident. Yeah, we definitely get a deal done with Simon,” Fitzgerald said. “Like, he doesn’t have arbitration, he doesn’t have any rights. But with Simon, yeah, he did change agencies. We went through what he means to us. He’s a good young defenseman. He’s part of our organization, until he’s not.”
And that last part was very telling when Fitzgerald met with the media once the trade deadline passed on March 6th. “He is a part of our organization until he is not.” As we know, the Devils have been trying to upgrade their roster.
Devils Rumors: Tom Fitzgerald and Top Six Forward Addition
As Fitzgerald noted at that same March 6th press conference, he is still looking to move one of the defensemen to add to his club.
“We have seven NHL everyday players on our back end,” Fitzgerald said. “I’m trying to shake one of them loose here in the offseason will be my goal, and maybe to give us some help up front, maybe a top-six winger or something.”
Simon Nemec is a piece that teams want to pry away from New Jersey. There has been some reluctance surrounding moving a young player who is only getting better.
However, he has value around the league to acquire players like Robert Thomas, Jordan Kyrou, Matthew Knies, Jason Robertson, Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault, and others of that calibre. We know the Nashville Predators and St. Louis Blues both asked for him in trade packages last season for Ryan O’Reilly and Brayden Schenn (who got traded to the New York Islanders this season).
Devils Rumors: New Jersey Looking to Add a Goal Scorer
In addition, had the Devils been able to complete a trade for Quinn Hughes, Nemec would have been one of the pieces heading back to the Vancouver Canucks. So we know that, for the right price and player, Fitzgerald would not hesitate to move him.
While Nemec has not formally requested a trade, he is open to a change of scenery, which might do him so good. However, the Devils need to learn from Adam Larsson. Instead of giving up on a young defenseman who has potential, move on to a veteran to allow that player to shine within the organization.
If Nemec were in a similar situation to Philip Broberg in the summer of 2024, there is no doubt he would get an offer sheet or two from a couple of teams.
It will be interesting to see how the New Jersey Devils handle Simon Nemec this offseason. Many feel he could be on the move. Only time will tell.
