Three Scenarios For The Devils' Simon Nemec

The New Jersey Devils' Simon Nemec ignited trade rumours recently with comments about his recent assignment to the AHL’s Utica Comets. Since being drafted with the second-overall pick in 2022, Nemec has bounced between the minors and the NHL this season and last.

The Slovakian blueliner is still just 20 years old, but his comments combined with the Devils’ Stanley Cup contender status seem to have muddied the waters of his future in New Jersey.

Here are three possible scenarios GM Tom Fitzgerald might explore in the coming weeks:

Devils Trade Nemec

New Jersey has a logjam on the right side of their D-corps, a problem most NHL teams would love to have. Dougie Hamilton and Brett Pesce are fixtures right now, while Jonathan Kovacevic has emerged as a mainstay alongside Jonas Siegenthaler. Despite Kovacevic being acquired for just a fourth-round pick last summer, he’s earned himself the right to negotiate a potential contract extension.

Looking at the Devils’ prospect pool, which includes Seamus Casey and Anton Silayev, the Devils may not need Nemec, especially if he’s blocked from a top-pairing role for the foreseeable future.

Nemec also performed poorly in his nine-game NHL stint to begin this campaign —the Devils controlled less than 43 percent of the scoring chances with him on-ice, according to MoneyPuck. While he’s building confidence and putting up points in the AHL, it’s not clear he “deserves” NHL time given his previous struggles.

That said, he’s still a blue-chip prospect that many teams would race to acquire. Despite all their firepower, New Jersey only ranks 15th in 5-on-5 goals, so the opportunity to acquire a bona fide top-six scorer is on the table ahead of the trade deadline. With names like J.T. Miller and Brock Nelson swirling in trade rumours, the Devils have an enticing chip to cash in.

The Devils are also no stranger to trading a high-drafted blueliner. In 2016, they shipped 2011 fourth-overall pick Adam Larsson to Edmonton for Taylor Hall, who went on to win the Hart Trophy and carry New Jersey back to the playoffs. While that success was fleeting, the Devils flipped Hall for Kevin Bahl and what became top-six forward Dawson Mercer. Bahl was a piece used to acquire Jacob Markstrom, so using trade assets to address positional deficiencies has worked out well in the past for the Devils.

Devils Give Nemec Another Shot On NHL Roster

In Nemec’s 69 career NHL games, he simply wasn’t ready for the significant role he was forced to play. In 60 games last season, he played nearly 20 minutes per night, which put the teenager underwater. And while he wasn’t a standout to begin this season, he was coming off an injury sustained playing for Slovakia at the Olympic qualifiers in August, which seemed to have lingered through training camp and pre-season.

This time around, Nemec is healthy and has 18 points in 25 games for Utica. He’s built up his defensive side and has showcased his ability to occasionally take over games. He even netted five points against the Hartford Wolfpack on Jan. 15.

He’s also been hot as of late, scoring 12 points in his last nine games. His puck-moving ability could be a huge boost for a Devils team that has won just twice in its past 10 games.

Devils Keep Nemec In AHL — For Now

The least exciting of the three options may be the most likely. Nemec is about to turn 21 in February and still projects as a potential No. 1 right-shot defender, an extremely rare commodity.

The Devils could fetch a sizable return for Nemec to bolster their playoff run, but the young defenseman’s skillset borders on irreplaceable. Nemec might be blocked by the Devils’ strong depth chart this season, but patience is a virtue when it comes to defenseman. It’s rare for defenders to become effective NHL regulars at Nemec’s age, even those with his pedigree. And while the Adam Larsson trade has paid dividends, he eventually became a crucial shutdown defender for Edmonton and later Seattle.

He was also named to the AHL All-Star Classic, which might be a small achievement compared to regular NHL duty, but it provides some recognition for the value he brings to the organization.

Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or by visiting our forum.