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

[Devs3cups]

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.

Any chance you know where I could watch that game? Would love to.

 

[Blackjack]

Chesley sucks. The next Josh Jacob or Steven Santini.

 

[Devil made me do it]

Any chance you know where I could watch that game? Would love to.

I don't know but it was that game that convinced me about Nemec being the unquestionable #1 defenseman in the draft. Playing like that against an elite opponent with NHL players was quite impressive. He was so steady in the defensive zone yet so involved in the offense. I watched the game moreso to study Slaf but Nemec was the one who stood out. There is less than zero chance this kid is not a Top 4 defenseman in the NHL. Very well could become a Top2.

 

[Hisch13r]

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

To a degree but when one of them takes the guy we wanted anyway while the other two that passed on him are us and Arizona then it’s more thinking our two franchises are still clueless. If it was Detroit (with Yzerman) and Colorado passing on him, different animal, but when two of the three worst franchises in the sport do it? Then it’s probably an us issue

I don't understand why you put Colorado and Tampa on some pedestal when they sucked ass for a longgggggggggggggggggggggggggg time too...

I'd even argue Sakic hasn't done that amazing in the draft. Yzerman had a lot of misses too.

 

[NJDevs26]

You don't have contingency trades for such things Fitzy? It's 50-50 whether the Habs take your guy or not, you shouldn't need less than five minutes to figure out whether a trade down is viable or not.

 

[Emperoreddy]

 

[Devs3cups]

 

[Blackjack]

This is just infuriating. Three times in the last three years. Learn to make a f***ing trade.

 

[Normal Devil]

Hope that's not true .. they should have had all the various scenarios mapped out well in advance. The "we didn't have time" excuse is weak.

 

[Devils731]

I believe the 5 minute timeout still exists at the NHL draft so if you’re pressed for time you can use that.

That tidbit sounds unreasonable, in general.

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

Using the 2OA to address an immediate hole (outside of goaltending) would've been the far preferable move, imo.

They did try that. This isn't some fantasy hockey game where you can take over as gm of the other team and get a free trade.

 

[Devilsfan118]

A) No blue check so I would take anything tweeted with a grain of salt, even if they're supposedly just parroting something said on another medium.

B) If true, this is f*cking infuriating. What do they pay these people for if they're not making all sorts of contingency plans and evaluating all possible outcomes.

 

[Devils090]

I mean what realistic trade are we making and still taking Nemec?

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

It seems that the more time that has gone by the more questions there were about Wright and his abilities. Has there been an instance of a player that was considered the top in their draft year for so long, not get selected first, but end up still being the best player (or close to it)? I can't think of an example. Patrick is the only recent example I can think of where he was considered the top pick for so long until the last several months, but he isn't close to the top player in his draft.

I think the closest that comes to this is Yakupov. I remember there were a lot of concerns, but Oilers ended up still picking him #1 cuz they're incompetent. That draft was terrible as a whole though so can't fault them too much.

 

[Devils090]

A) No blue check so I would take anything tweeted with a grain of salt, even if they're supposedly just parroting something said on another medium.

B) If true, this is f*cking infuriating. What do they pay these people for if they're not making all sorts of contingency plans and evaluating all possible outcomes.

He was just quoting what LeBrun said so it’s not a made up source or quote.

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

That’s dumb. That’s exactly what got Flyers Patrick instead of Makar.
I would much rather our guys take the guy they like more than the consensus guy.
And there was lots of scouts that had Nemec in the top 2

and would've gotten us Patrick instead of Nico. But people love to spin the narrative and say nico was an obvious pick

 

[Hisch13r]

A) No blue check so I would take anything tweeted with a grain of salt, even if they're supposedly just parroting something said on another medium.

B) If true, this is f*cking infuriating. What do they pay these people for if they're not making all sorts of contingency plans and evaluating all possible outcomes.

I don't buy it because as @Devils731 said we could've called timeout if we "ran out of time"

and would've gotten us Patrick instead of Nico. But people love to spin the narrative and say nico was an obvious pick

It wouldn't have. Nico was the #1 come draft time. He was #1 on Bob's list. This isn't revisionist history.

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

Came here to post this. Philly scouts wanted Makar apprently, but rhey went Patrick because of ranking.

Apparently Colorado wanted Patrick.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

I mean what realistic trade are we making and still taking Nemec?

There is literally none. All this crying for nothing.

 

[MadDevil]

If Seattle wanted Nemec at #4 there was no trade down available where we still got him.

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

It wouldn't have. Nico was the #1 come draft time. He was #1 on Bob's list. This isn't revisionist history.

What does Bob's list have to do with anything? Patrick was the #1 for years. Which is exactly what people are bitching about right now. That we didn't take the guy rated #1 for years at #2.

Also, it was not clearly Nico as a favorite to go #1, but that wasn't even my point anyways.

 

[Edmonton East]

idk how you can have any confidence in this front office if this is true. They weren't prepared for a very probable outcome?? This also lines up with the interview they gave post pick, so the report seems plausible.

Granted, all remaining confidence should have previously dissipated the moment they hired Ruff....nevermind continuing to keep him.

 

[Hisch13r]

Came here to post this. Philly scouts wanted Makar apprently, but rhey went Patrick because of ranking.

They didn't. They wanted Heiskanen. Still better but it wasn't Makar like Clarke said.

What does Bob's list have to do with anything? Patrick was the #1 for years. Which is exactly what people are bitching about right now. That we didn't take the guy rated #1 for years at #2.

Also, it was not clearly Nico as a favorite to go #1, but that wasn't even my point anyways.

Because the original point was about how Wright was the guy ranked over Nemec. Nico and Nolan isn't comparable because Nolan wasn't ranked over Nico. It's not the same.

idk how you can have any confidence in this front office if this is true. They weren't prepared for a very probable outcome?? This also lines up with the interview they gave post pick, so the report seems plausible.

Granted, all remaining confidence should have previously dissipated the moment they hired Ruff....nevermind continuing to keep him.

I really don't buy it. If they ran out of time they could've called a time out.

 

[Devs3cups]

They didn't. They wanted Heiskanen. Still better but it wasn't Makar like Clarke said.

In an appearance on the Cam & Strick Podcast, former Sr. Vice President of Hockey Operations, Bobby Clarke, spoke on the decision that led to the Flyers selecting Patrick second instead of Cale Makar. He is quoted as saying, “we get the second pick of the draft, and we end up drafting Nolan Patrick. None of our scouts wanted Nolan Patrick, […] they wanted Makar.”

Revisiting Flyers' Decision to Draft Patrick Over Makar - The Hockey Writers NHL Entry Draft Latest News, Analysis & More

The Flyers decision to draft Patrick over Makar in the 2017 draft has seen each team go in different directions as a result.

thehockeywriters.com

I mean, he might be lying, but I don't see why he'd do that? Where did you see they wanted Miro? Anyways, point still stands, they didn't go with their guy, they went with consensus hockey world ranking.