Dave Pagnotta of The Fourth Period was on the DFO Rundown Podcast Insider Edition with Irf Gaffar on Thursday. He was asked about the report regarding Simon Nemec‘s trade request and what is going on between the defenseman and the New Jersey Devils.
DevilsNation.com Transcriptions
Did Simon Nemec Request a Trade Or Not?
Irf Gaffar: Did Simon Nemec ask for a trade, or what? What’s the real story there in New Jersey?
Dave Pagnotta: “Well, as the time we’re doing this, neither Nemec’s camp nor the Devils have confirmed the report over in Slovakia that he has asked for a trade. The report also indicated that there’s been a lack of communication. I don’t believe that to be accurate. I think that Sunny Mehta has, once he came in, has talked to a number of players.
I believe he’s reached out and spoken with Nemec’s Camp, so maybe there’s a little bit of a disconnect there, but we don’t know definitively at the time we’re doing this if a trade request has been made or not.
We do know that his name has been floating around the trade market, going back, all season, even last off-season, too, a little bit. We know that the New Jersey Devils have been looking and trying to add an offensive type of player, winger, presumably to play alongside Jack Hughes. That was under previous regime. We’ll see what Sunny Mehta and his camp now want to do in terms of shaping this team a little bit and allowing them to move forward.
Trade Speculation Surrounds Simon Nemec and the New Jersey Devils
But look, if you’re going to move Nemec, who’s an RFA, by the way, or will be in July, that’s a pretty good-looking carrot to dangle for teams out there. Now we’ll see what that potentially translates to, but again, a scoring winner to play along, Jack Hughes might be a top Mehta’s list of things that he wants to accomplish this offseason, and if Nemec does want out again, that’s a heck of an asset to utilize to try to bring something in.
While also understanding that they’ve got a young defenseman, Anton Silayev, who was drafted 10th overall. He’s agreed to his entry-level contract with the Devils. They can’t officially sign it until the earliest, I believe, is June 1 for AHL related reasons, and his contractual status there, but potentially move out one’s left, one’s right, different styles overall, but potentially move out one top young D, and you’re getting another top young D coming in.
So it might work out overall if the request is accurate, and how much Metha has an appetite to actually go through with something like that, and making a what would be a pretty big move, Irf.”
DevilsNation.com Note: We know that Simon Nemec has not requested a trade out of New Jersey. However, could he be open to a change of scenery, given how he has been handled by the organization? Sure, he could. Nemec also stated on the Devils locker cleanout day that he would be open to signing a contract to stay in New Jersey.
Devils Rumors: Is Simon Nemec Still Part of New Jersey’ Future?
Again, Nemec’s name has been out there for a while. Remember, multiple teams the Devils have engaged with over the years have asked for Nemec. Most recently, the Vancouver Canucks and the New Jersey Devils tried to acquire Quinn Hughes before he was traded to the Minnesota Wild.
But Nemec is a restricted free agent and needs a new deal. Will the Devils go long-term or offer him a bridge deal? It feels like a bridge deal if he stays; that’s where this is heading. However, could a team swoop in with an offer sheet for him? It’s possible, but the Devils would want more than what is offered in compensation for an offer sheet.
This will be a story to watch all off-season long.
