Prospect Info: New Jersey Devils Draft Simon Nemec, 2nd Overall

[NJDevs26]

Some people just don’t want to be happy.

Let’s try winning a little first, then you’ll see more happy around here

 

[HughJazz3dg]

The Stillman pick was dumb because he shouldn’t have even been in the conversation.

With how Shane Wrights season went this year, having him in the same tier as Nemec isn’t remotely shocking. Then you ask where you need more assets…

I’m far from defending past picks, but you can really follow the logic of this one.

 

[lightsout]

Poor Nemec. If he doesn't become the next Lidstrom then people will continue to bash the pick. Even if Wright busts, there will be people saying someone else should have been taken.

The two teams with the worst center depth in the league both passed on Wright.

Did anyone pay attention to the Hughes interview after the first pick was announced? He basically explained that Slaf was taken because he said all the right things in the interviews.

Imagine the reaction if Fitz said he drafted a player because they had a good interview.

 

[Blackjack]

I thought after a night sleeping on this pick many would be in a better mood, not so it looks like.

Prediction - 3-5 years down the road, no one will be bitching about this pick.

Prediction, the best thing that can happen with the Nemec pick is Fitz getting fired when Wright turns into a star and his incompetence is made plain.

 

[AfroThunder396]

Poor Nemec. If he doesn't become the next Lidstrom then people will continue to bash the pick. Even if Wright busts, there will be people saying someone else should have been taken.

The two teams with the worst center depth in the league both passed on Wright.

Did anyone pay attention to the Hughes interview after the first pick was announced? He basically explained that Slaf was taken because he said all the right things in the interviews.

Imagine the reaction if Fitz said he drafted a player because they had a good interview.

People are already obsessing over the fact Fitz mentioned he was right handed. As if he tossed out all scouting reports for lefties and then just picked a rightie at random.

 

[Triumph]

If you're already having a conversation about trading Wright as you're drafting him, you're probably made a mistake. That's because you will deeply struggle to get full value because if things go right, Shane Wright won't be playing top minutes for the Devils. He'll get 15-18 minutes, sure, but he won't be playing with the best players, and he likely won't be on PP1 (if he is, it'll be as the man in the box, whose numbers are seldom great). Now you likely use up his ELC, playing non-top minutes, what is he going to be worth at that point?

Trading down from #2 is hard because if Seattle values Cooley and Wright equally, they are not going to trade up, and likewise if you like Nemec more than both of them, you might lose Nemec anyway - Seattle has needs everywhere.

Getting on Fitzgerald for not having the creativity to trade down from #20 in 2020 is perfectly reasonable. Not being able to trade down from #2, a spot nobody has traded down from in the salary cap era? Less so.

 

[Blackjack]

Poor Nemec. If he doesn't become the next Lidstrom then people will continue to bash the pick. Even if Wright busts, there will be people saying someone else should have been taken.

The two teams with the worst center depth in the league both passed on Wright.

Did anyone pay attention to the Hughes interview after the first pick was announced? He basically explained that Slaf was taken because he said all the right things in the interviews.

Imagine the reaction if Fitz said he drafted a player because they had a good interview.

Oh yeah, I’m super confident that Arizona knows what they’re doing.

You can dislike Slaf, but a majority of NHL scouts in McKenzie’s poll had him as #1. Zero had Nemec.

We’re now a clown organization. Right there with Arizona.

 

[Clam Jensen]

Let’s try winning a little first, then you’ll see more happy around here

Conversely, we can all take a step back, realize we’re getting all worked up on a message board about men playing a kids game, and put our full support behind who the team chose.

 

[DevilDog]

How is that the case?

You may go for a need later in the draft, in the top 10 you always go for BPA because if you pick five LHD who are two-way and all are 6'0 but at the same time they turn into stars/franchise players you can trade them away for your need (and at this point you're no longer speculating about the development of 18 years olds).

The only way I can get behind drafting for a need in top 10 if the need is to get a franchise player.

But what if you have 2 players with extremely close rankings, where one fills a tremendous need and the other plays a position you’re loaded with talent at already?

How can you say for sure the Devils (and quite a few other teams) didn’t have Nemec and Wright as near equals?

 

[AfroThunder396]

Yeah I don't buy this whole "draft Wright now to trade him later" talk. Look at the returns Kirby Dach, Nolan Patrick, Dylan Strome, and Jesperi Kotkaniemi got not that long after they were moved.

If a young player struggles their value depreciates VERY quickly. I mean, how much do you think Ty Smith's value has changed in the last year?

I'd rather draft a player that will help the team, rather than drafting a guy I don't want and hoping I can trade him three years later at only a minor loss.

 

[DevilDog]

This board is a mess. Multiple sources said they were happy to not win the draft lottery this year (it could be smoke), but many felt underwhelm with the top of this draft.

Its crazy but we have some sources saying teams had Nemec 1-3. You have media grades are coming in mostly positive.

Lets say he is #5 on @StevenToddIves board, he was picked at #2!! You guys are crying like they pulled a second rounder.

McTavish was ranked 5-10 last year and went 3.

We all need to do better, being more subjective. You guys fall in love with people and it’s like you got dumped by your partners.

In regards to Wright there we enough concerns, that he dropped. Maybe all the scouts are fooling themselves.

He was actually #4 on STIs board and he admitted the difference between Jiricek and Nemec was a coin flip.

 

[NJDevs26]

People are already obsessing over the fact Fitz mentioned he was right handed. As if he tossed out all scouting reports for lefties and then just picked a rightie at random.

Twice he mentioned that, in twenty seconds

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

Oh yeah, I’m super confident that Arizona knows what they’re doing.

You can dislike Slaf, but a majority of NHL scouts in McKenzie’s poll had him as #1. Zero had Nemec.

We’re now a clown organization. Right there with Arizona.

 

[Blackjack]

If you're already having a conversation about trading Wright as you're drafting him, you're probably made a mistake. That's because you will deeply struggle to get full value because if things go right, Shane Wright won't be playing top minutes for the Devils. He'll get 15-18 minutes, sure, but he won't be playing with the best players, and he likely won't be on PP1 (if he is, it'll be as the man in the box, whose numbers are seldom great). Now you likely use up his ELC, playing non-top minutes, what is he going to be worth at that point?

Trading down from #2 is hard because if Seattle values Cooley and Wright equally, they are not going to trade up, and likewise if you like Nemec more than both of them, you might lose Nemec anyway - Seattle has needs everywhere.

Getting on Fitzgerald for not having the creativity to trade down from #20 in 2020 is perfectly reasonable. Not being able to trade down from #2, a spot nobody has traded down from in the salary cap era? Less so.

If all you’re going to do with the pick is take Nemec, go ahead and trade down to the middle of the round. Chesley is nearly as good as Nemec and didn’t even go in the first round.

 

[Lou is God]

Oh yeah, I’m super confident that Arizona knows what they’re doing.

You can dislike Slaf, but a majority of NHL scouts in McKenzie’s poll had him as #1. Zero had Nemec.

We’re now a clown organization. Right there with Arizona.

Stop your ranting, you're looking like a fool, many scouts had Nemec at #2, that's nonsense to say otherwise.

 

[StevenToddIves]

This board is a mess. Multiple sources said they were happy to not win the draft lottery this year (it could be smoke), but many felt underwhelm with the top of this draft.

Its crazy but we have some sources saying teams had Nemec 1-3. You have media grades are coming in mostly positive.

Lets say he is #5 on @StevenToddIves board, he was picked at #2!! You guys are crying like they pulled a second rounder.

McTavish was ranked 5-10 last year and went 3.

We all need to do better, being more subjective. You guys fall in love with people and it’s like you got dumped by your partners.

In regards to Wright there we enough concerns, that he dropped. Maybe all the scouts are fooling themselves.

We also don't know how Wright interviewed. I still would have taken him, but I fully get the Nemec pick. I had Nemec at #4 incidentally. At least we don't have to go into 2022-23 with a RD prospect depth chart of:

1 Case McCarthy
2 Reilly Walsh
3 A whole lotta nothing else

 

[Blackjack]

But what if you have 2 players with extremely close rankings, where one fills a tremendous need and the other plays a position you’re loaded with talent at already?

How can you say for sure the Devils (and quite a few other teams) didn’t have Nemec and Wright as near equals?

I’m sure they did because they’re completely f***ing clueless.

Stop your ranting, you're looking like a fool, many scouts had Nemec at #2, that's nonsense to say otherwise.

Who had Nemec at 2? And don’t say Byron Bader.

 

[Torts]

Armchair GM's not happy with the pick however you couldn't wipe the smile off Fitz's face last night when Elliotte Friedman asked if he was happy and Fitz responded that he's extremely happy and they got their guy.

Some people just want to watch the world burn.

 

[StevenToddIves]

It's just astonishing that people look at someone having a difference of opinion and automatically assume the other person is a stupid f***ing worthless incompetent idiot.

Like, is it really that hard to believe that some people think Simon Nemec is a good hockey player? No? A guy has been playing in a professional men's league since he was 15, that's not impressive? He helped carry an irrelevant hockey country to it's first international success in decades? Was a point per game in the playoffs as a teenage defenseman? Broke a statistical model in ways no player has ever done? None of this sounds like a good player?

Nope, Margarita Man gave him a number and that's the number he has forever, and since we gave him a different number he therefore sucks and the franchise is doomed. We definitely would have been better taking the kid who didn't play last year and finished 8th in scoring in his league this year and put him on our 3rd line.

This is unbearable. A bunch of toddlers throwing tantrums because we didn't pick a player that other teams also didn't pick, and then having to come up with these Bond villain conspiracies explaining why without ever considering that the professional scouts might have a little more data than you do.

I can vouch for myself and assure I am, in fact, a stupid f**king worthless incompetent idiot. Thank the stars I'm good-looking as hell so I can still make friends.

 

[Lou is God]

Who had Nemec at 2? And don’t say Byron Bader.

Top of my head Scott Wheeler for one, if you would settle down your rage and look you'll find more.

 

[NJDevs26]

But what if you have 2 players with extremely close rankings, where one fills a tremendous need and the other plays a position you’re loaded with talent at already?

How can you say for sure the Devils (and quite a few other teams) didn’t have Nemec and Wright as near equals?

Here’s the disconnect, pretty much throughout the whole pre-draft everyone here and pretty much all the experts had Slaf and Wright as the top two tier and everyone else a notch below. Obviously more than one GM didn’t see it that way yesterday (though being in the same camp as Arizona doesn’t make me feel better). Even the stupid betting odds which were a tell of Slaf going first had no clue about Nemec being in the top two over Wright, people were losing their shit on Cutter being third in the betting lines.

I could have still been sold on the pick if Fitz didn’t double down tacitly admitting need was a huge factor, now it’s a clear show me situation. Especially for a front office whose main claim to drafting excellence so far is taking the brother of your franchise center.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

I’m sure they did because they’re completely f***ing clueless.



Who had Nemec at 2? And don’t say Byron Bader.

Quite a few, with some having him as the best player in the draft.

 

[AfroThunder396]

Twice he mentioned that, in twenty seconds

Who f***ing cares dude, you sound like the guy who was freaking out because Fitz looked down when Amanda asked him about trading the pick.

 

[Blackjack]

Top of my head Scott Wheeler for one, if you would settle down your rage and look you'll find more.

Fair enough, he also thought Shane Wright was #1, so even he thinks we reached.

 

[NJDevs26]

Quite a few, with some having him as the best player in the draft.

None of these guys knew jack before yesterday.