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

[Stephen Gionta]

I can't help but laugh at NHL fans.

The same people that say "Devils scouts are horrible for taking Hischier and passing on Makar!" are the same people who are now saying "I can't believe the idiot Devils scouts passed on Wright to take Nemec!"

 

[Homedresser]

I can't help but laugh at NHL fans.

The same people that say "Devils scouts are horrible for taking Hischier and passing on Makar!" are the same people who are now saying "I can't believe the idiot Devils scouts passed on Wright to take Nemec!"

I haven't seen that anywhere. All i've read is that the Devils made the right move in taking maybe the best or second best player on the board.

 

[Devilsfan118]

I don't know how people think they can differentiate between top pair D and 2nd pair D from an 18 year old - the difference between the two is almost never 'physical' and is in reads and small-area plays. Then there are some guys who figure this stuff out mid-career and jump to the top pairing, like Anton Stralman.

First off, you're missed on the other site.

But second - I agree and am certainly not trying to make that assessment myself here. I'm simply stating, in a vacuum, I would expect and hope a defenseman picked at 2OA would end up being a top pair guy.

 

[Camille the Eel]

There seems to be a lot of hype that Nemec can be a top pair guy. He’s not going to be Makar but that doesn’t mean he can’t be an elite NHL defenseman.

The comparison that will be interesting later all be he versus Jiricek. The other RHD available and that some thought has better defensive fundamentals and skating but less "puck moving" . . . .

 

[RememberTheName]

I can't help but laugh at NHL fans.

The same people that say "Devils scouts are horrible for taking Hischier and passing on Makar!" are the same people who are now saying "I can't believe the idiot Devils scouts passed on Wright to take Nemec!"

I'm more mad about who we picked going off the board than going off the board. A lot of people, like myself, didn't even want Wright at #2. Thing is, I wanted Cooley/Jiricek far more than Nemec. Time will tell who was right...

 

[devilsfan35]

Jiricek always looked slow in the few clips/games I saw. Happy with Simon nemec

 

[Triumph]

First off, you're missed on the other site.

But second - I agree and am certainly not trying to make that assessment myself here. I'm simply stating, in a vacuum, I would expect and hope a defenseman picked at 2OA would end up being a top pair guy.

Thanks - I miss that site too but there's just 3 people who post there that I can't stand.

I would hope so too but it's a weaker draft than normal, often the guy taken at #2 is a no-doubt top line guy and this isn't that sort of year.

 

[TheSituation]

my post, which you responded to, was about position. you arbitrarily inserted your debate (about what? i don’t even know or care) where it didn’t belong, which made this needlessly complicated. gold star

This is a f***ing message board. Every post is arbitrary, I'm not even sure if you know what that word means...

Regardless, my point is that the main complaint is that people wanted Jiricek and not Nemec, and the debate is understandable. Is this your first draft? Gold star... I'm really starting to realize if our fans have CTE too...It's not rocket science.

 

[MartyOwns]

This is a f***ing message board. Every post is arbitrary, I'm not even sure if you know what that word means...

Regardless, my point is that the main complaint is that people wanted Jiricek and not Nemec, and the debate is understandable. Is this your first draft? Gold star... I'm really starting to realize if our fans have CTE too...It's not rocket science.

wtf are you talking about? the majority in here wanted wright, not jiricek. this is what i mean by arbitrary, by the way- you inserted yourself into a conversation without even understanding it, then you go on to say my post was stupid and imply i have some kind of brain damage. i’m sure if i replied the way i want to, i’d get banned for a month so i won’t. i’ll just say that you seem very intelligent, and have a terrific weekend.

 

[pkbrux]

The comparison that will be interesting later all be he versus Jiricek. The other RHD available and that some thought has better defensive fundamentals and skating but less "puck moving" . . . .

Jiricek is most certainly not a better skater than Nemec.

IMO, Jiricek is more physical and has a way better shot from the point, but I prefer Nemec in every other aspect.

 

[Call Me Al]

had a feeling we weren't going to take wright before the draft, regardless of what MTL did. I dunno for some reason I didn't see him fitting here. I really wanted Slaf because he just seemed to fit what we are building so well.

I don't know a ton about Nemec but I will say that in the few world championship games that I did watch, solely to see Slaf, Nemec stood out to me as a really solid, smart and effective D man. The kind that can anchor a team and perform well in all areas, and something that every championship team really needs to have but is really hard to pick up on the open market. You get these players at the top of the draft.

Overall I'm happy with what we have, and 5-7 years down the line we could have the best D pairing in the league to match an elite cast of offensive weapons.

 

[PizzaAndPucks]

I didn't really read up or watch to much about Nemec because I didn't think we would take him as high as #2. That being said everything I've seen since we have taken him is all positive. The Coyotes passed up on Wright for Cooley so it wasn't just the Devils who balked in him. I wonder if the Coyotes were picking #2 if they would have taken Nemec over Cooley though. I also wonder if Wright went 1st overall would the Devils take Slafkovsky over Nemec...Nemec is a potential top pairing D man. As much as I was shocked/upset about passing on Wright , Nemec is the player we need.more for the future. The RHD is our weakest position in the system , Nemec will hopefully make Severson expendable next year.

 

[TheSituation]

wtf are you talking about? the majority in here wanted wright, not jiricek. this is what i mean by arbitrary, by the way- you inserted yourself into a conversation without even understanding it, then you go on to say my post was stupid and imply i have some kind of brain damage. i’m sure if i replied the way i want to, i’d get banned for a month so i won’t. i’ll just say that you seem very intelligent, and have a terrific weekend.

I can't believe I have to explain this. When Slaf was off the board, there was a debate.

1) Trade the pick, this was a more obvious option as soon as Slaf was the favorite to go 1OA
2) Keep the pick and draft Wright
3) Go for the best D-man

Do you not understand that many of us would be ok with #3, but the point of contention is who the best d-man is between Jiricek and Nemec?????

Again, I love the pick, but was also torn between the top 2. It's obvious why people are questioning it. It's galaxy brained shit to say that we addressed anything when these kids haven't hit NHL ice yet.

You gave Fitz a break because he took a d-man. Your take was lazy. Point blank

 

[Camille the Eel]

Jiricek is most certainly not a better skater than Nemec.

IMO, Jiricek is more physical and has a way better shot from the point, but I prefer Nemec in every other aspect.

Written like someone who has actually seen these players - I super appreciate that.

 

[Devil made me do it]

Nemec against Canada at the WC was about as impressive and dominant a performance as you will see from a young prospect defenseman. He was easily the best player that game. All over the ice.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

Love the player, like the pick more today than the original couple of minutes after with Wright obviously there. This defense is going to be stacked in a few years. Dougie, Nemec, Luke Hughes are 3 awesome pillars to build a defense with.

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

Even if Smith turns things around I don’t really see where he fits in. Clearly isn’t fitzy type of defensemen, isn’t strong defensively even at his best and isn’t really needed for the type of role he plays. Is he gonna run the powerplay for us now or in the future with Dougie and Severson right now and Hughes, Nemec, and Mukhammadullin coming?

I forget which program it was, but their projected d lineup for next season was

Graves-Hamilton
Siegenthaler-Severson
Smith-Nemec

In this situation, I ship Smith out, no way I'm playing him with Nemec. I mean either way, I ship Smith out, I just don't see where he fits anymore.

 

[MasterofGrond]

If we can get a forward to help with smith or as part of a package with smith, I’d be all over it

 

[Emperoreddy]

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

Shero sucked at first round picks and was good at late round picks. Looks like Fitz is the opposite so far?

Zacha Mcleod and Smith

Generally speaking, gms are more involved in the 1st round, and rely on their scouts for the rest of the draft. So yea, Shero was awful at drafting imo, but he did at least have a good blueprint to follow that Castron hit on pretty well.

 

[Comparison Ford]

the thing i love about this pick is we are setting him up for major success. having a top 4 of Siegs-Hamilton and Graves-Severson will give Nemec a great opportunity to shine and learn in a bottom pairing role if he makes the squad.

i think the main problem with how we developed Hischier and Hughes (and to an extent Zacha) is throwing them into roles that they’re obviously projected for but not ready for. Nico had Hall, but once he fizzled out we were barren for a lil while there on the wings. Same with Jack.

you can see how well the rangers were able to do this. once they put picks like Laf and Kakko down the lineup in a third line role and took the pressure off them to be “the guys” then they succeeded.

i remember someone saying Makar probably wouldn’t have been the Cale we see today if he was drafted by us. conversely, sometimes i think Nico would’ve been amazing on this colorado team, probably in the same role Kadri was playing if he was drafted by them.

obviously its taken nico and jack a lil while to get accustomed to the league and they are getting better everyday. i hope this year we spend on wings.

the tldr version of this is i think Nemec is going to shine here.

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

2022 - Nemec was the best RD available, Fitz pretty much admitted that’s why he was drafted.

No he didn't. But keep taking any kind of statement and twist it to fit your narrative.

 

[Hockey Sports Fan]

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.

Chesley sucks. The next Josh Jacob or Steven Santini.

 

[BananaGenetics]

Am in love with the pick. Hes who I wanted based on my little viewing and I think he has highest certainty of all the prospects this year to be an impact player

Not sure Id put him above Luke but either way, having two of the top-5 defensive prospects outside of hockey must be prettty coolll

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

Fitz has done this before…going for need over BPA with ‘first’ round picks

2020 - Holtz was the best scorer and Muk was the best big defenseman available but BPA, not really

2021 - Stillman was the best power forward available, again a reach as BPA

2022 - Nemec was the best RD available, Fitz pretty much admitted that’s why he was drafted.

Once is an accident, four times is an issue

I must've missed where there's an official list of player potentials and current ability attached to their names like in video games. You have no idea who bpa is, especially when it's between prospects who are very close.