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

[MadDevil]

Yes it was known that this was a RD heavy draft which is why it didn't make all that much sense to me to pass on Wright when Fitz had the entire rest of the draft to acquire said RD's.

Just think...he drafts Wright and he would still end up drafting the same players he drafted afterward.

The only difference is we would've had someone (Wright) who can help NOW on offense instead of someone(Nemec) who will more than likely need at least a year (or more) in the AHL before coming up and playing on the backend.

I'm f'n tired of waiting here.

So hopefully, he throws money at Gaudreau (and I hope Gaudreau doesn't re-sign with Calgary) 'cause we need a big OFFENSIVE splash here.

Our Core players aren't getting any younger...

Sure, but there is a difference between the quality of prospect between a Nemec or Jiricek, who were projected to go at the top of the draft, and a defenseman projected to go in the later rounds. That's kind of like saying we'll pass on a top pairing RHD because we have 3 third pairing RHD (this is a hypothetical, not a judge of our current defense).

As for NHL readiness, I honestly don't give a damn if who we draft plays in the NHL next year or 3 years from now. I want the best player, period. If that means waiting 2-3 years for Nemec, so be it. Sure, it'd be great to draft somebody who can make an immediate impact, but I think with a pick this high that really shouldn't be as much of a factor as taking the best player. If you want to argue Nemec isn't the best player available at #2, fine. Hell, considering there were over 200 players drafted after him, he may very well end up not being the second best player in the draft.

 

[McDuffz88]

Got a question for you guys. If Nemec & Drysdale were in the same draft who would of gone first? Let's take away hindsight being that Drysdale has already played in NHL games I want to look at it from a pure prospect perspective. Who has the bigger ceiling? Who has a better draft pedigree?

 

[Captain3rdLine]

Got a question for you guys. If Nemec & Drysdale were in the same draft who would of gone first? Let's take away hindsight being that Drysdale has already played in NHL games I want to look at it from a pure prospect perspective. Who has the bigger ceiling? Who has a better draft pedigree?

I would take Nemec over Drysdale. But then I might’ve taken Sanderson over Nemec but it’s probably close. I was never that high on Drysdale personally.

 

[StevenToddIves]

Got a question for you guys. If Nemec & Drysdale were in the same draft who would of gone first? Let's take away hindsight being that Drysdale has already played in NHL games I want to look at it from a pure prospect perspective. Who has the bigger ceiling? Who has a better draft pedigree?

Without bias, we would have to say it's pretty close, which is a big compliment to both Drysdale and Nemec. But I would take Sanderson over either of them.

Right now, if I were asked the top 3 D prospects in the NHL it would still be Sanderson, Power and Luke Hughes in whatever order. Nemec and Jiricek would be right behind them, though.

 

[glenwo2]

Sure, but there is a difference between the quality of prospect between a Nemec or Jiricek, who were projected to go at the top of the draft, and a defenseman projected to go in the later rounds. That's kind of like saying we'll pass on a top pairing RHD because we have 3 third pairing RHD (this is a hypothetical, not a judge of our current defense).

As for NHL readiness, I honestly don't give a damn if who we draft plays in the NHL next year or 3 years from now. I want the best player, period. If that means waiting 2-3 years for Nemec, so be it. Sure, it'd be great to draft somebody who can make an immediate impact, but I think with a pick this high that really shouldn't be as much of a factor as taking the best player. If you want to argue Nemec isn't the best player available at #2, fine. Hell, considering there were over 200 players drafted after him, he may very well end up not being the second best player in the draft.

And meanwhile, while we wait for those 2-3 years, it would be 2-3 years wasted on our Core's (Jack, Nico, Bratt) prime years before Nemec even gets on the ice. (though some here say he could join them as early as this season...we'll see)

This is what I'm thinking of when I say the Devils need an offensive splash in another post.

Fine. Fitz wanted Nemec so he got him.

Well go get Gaudreau then.

 

[Devs3cups]

Without bias, we would have to say it's pretty close, which is a big compliment to both Drysdale and Nemec. But I would take Sanderson over either of them.

Right now, if I were asked the top 3 D prospects in the NHL it would still be Sanderson, Power and Luke Hughes in whatever order. Nemec and Jiricek would be right behind them, though.

Nemec/Jiricek before Edvinsson in your rankings? That’s interesting! Not saying I disagree, but I was curious about that.

 

[severian]

Yes it was known that this was a RD heavy draft which is why it didn't make all that much sense to me to pass on Wright when Fitz had the entire rest of the draft to acquire said RD's.

Just think...he drafts Wright and he would still end up drafting the same players he drafted afterward.

The only difference is we would've had someone (Wright) who can help NOW on offense instead of someone(Nemec) who will more than likely need at least a year (or more) in the AHL before coming up and playing on the backend.

I'm f'n tired of waiting here.

So hopefully, he throws money at Gaudreau (and I hope Gaudreau doesn't re-sign with Calgary) 'cause we need a big OFFENSIVE splash here.

Our Core players aren't getting any younger...

You realize the Devils offense, while far from Colorado, wasn’t really the issue with last season? It was way more the .880 team save percentage. If Hughes is healthy next year and you get some growth from Mercer, contributions from a Holtz, etc, I see no reason why the Devils can’t be in the top half of the league offensively.

 

[ninetyeight]

Picking Cutter Gauthier #2 would have been a reach for need. You miss the big physical winger, panic and go for the next best one. If anything Nemec is a real "I don't care what anyone else thinks this is our bpa" pick. Whether they are right or wrong remains to be seen.

After all the top picks we've seen struggling in the last decade; Laf, Byfield, Kakko, Dach, Kotkaniemi, Patrick, Puljujärvi, Strome, Bennett, Reinhart, Dal Colle, Drouin, Yakupov, Murray, Galchenyuk.. And all the surprise risers like Seider, Zegras, Q. Hughes, Makar.. I can't believe people are still this tied to pre-draft rankings and so arrogant with their personal rankings.

We can bitch about this in few years if it hasn't worked out, but right now there's nothing that suggests that Nemec can't be the best player from this draft.

 

[HenriquesJawLine]

Got a question for you guys. If Nemec & Drysdale were in the same draft who would of gone first? Let's take away hindsight being that Drysdale has already played in NHL games I want to look at it from a pure prospect perspective. Who has the bigger ceiling? Who has a better draft pedigree?

Nemec I would hope

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

Nemec I would hope

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He’s really been thrown into the fire by Anaheim. I don’t know why he’s been given such a difficult role to start his career.

 

[RSeen]

Nemec I would hope

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Its a very difficult task to expect a 20 year old to be a good player at the NHL level on defence. This is not strong evidence that Drysdale should be viewed worse than anyone else.

Picking Cutter Gauthier #2 would have been a reach for need. You miss the big physical winger, panic and go for the next best one. If anything Nemec is a real "I don't care what anyone else thinks this is our bpa" pick. Whether they are right or wrong remains to be seen.

After all the top picks we've seen struggling in the last decade; Laf, Byfield, Kakko, Dach, Kotkaniemi, Patrick, Puljujärvi, Strome, Bennett, Reinhart, Dal Colle, Drouin, Yakupov, Murray, Galchenyuk.. And all the surprise risers like Seider, Zegras, Q. Hughes, Makar.. I can't believe people are still this tied to pre-draft rankings and so arrogant with their personal rankings.

We can bitch about this in few years if it hasn't worked out, but right now there's nothing that suggests that Nemec can't be the best player from this draft.

Yeah exactly that's the thing, there are a lot of top picks that do not do well. Most of these players were in the consensus top with regards to public rankings as well.

Nemec certainly has the tools need to be an impact player. A year in the AHL and in North America should do wonders for his development. I also like the fact that Fitz sounds like he does not want to rush him.

 

[Unknown Caller]

Corey Pronman reported on his podcast that if Nemec was on the board, Arizona was between Nemec and Cooley at their pick and could have gone Nemec. Not that we needed more evidence that the Devils couldn’t trade back if they wanted their guy, but he may have been gone at 3 even before Seattle could get their hands on him.

 

[Blackjack]

So you’re digging your heels in on Wright was the right choice? I probably would have taken Cooley over Wright.

You keep fixating on the rankings like the numbers matter. An Oiler fan could have this same freak out over their team taking Draisaitl at #3 WHEN OMG SAM BENNETT WAS STILL RIGHT THERE ON THE BOARD.

These scouts don’t read the prophecies from tea leaves and animal entrails, they’re making educated guesses.

And the educated guess about this draft is it’s 2017-like made way more blurry by the stunting effects of COVID.

Is Nemec the 2nd best player in the draft? Probably not? Is there a chance that Bob’s list, or and any other consensus list, is going to basically have the top players in order? No f***ing way (IMHO).

I say I would probably take Cooley because I’ve never been quite decided on this group. I’m always like that to a certain every year (I love nuance a little too much) but this year is particularly a clusterf*** of unknowingness. I’m amazed by anyone who feels like they for sure have this figured this draft class out.

And Wright should be a safe pick, smart w/ a nifty wrister, but I don’t think he’ll end up the best forward. Not sure Cooley will either.

Nemec seems like a very reasonable bet to me. He had to pick someone, as others have said, you can knock him for not getting a late 1st trade done in earlier drafts but this was way more unwieldy.

He drafted two very mobile, talented skaters with the first two picks. I wouldn’t have predicted these two picks in a million years but I’m willing to see how they work out.

I’m not a huge Fitz fan either.

Cooley wasn't the player that I wanted at 2, but I would have been okay with that. He's the only other player that's consistently been ranked close to (or even above, in some cases) Wright and Slafkovsky.

Of course, we both know that Nemec can end up being the best player from the draft. Heck, Brad Lambert or Mirochnechenko, or Yurov could, it wouldn't be a shock at all. The problem is that two players were consistently ranked top two (except for the occasional ranking of Cooley at 1 or 2. McKenzie's scout ranking told us all we need to know - almost every scout had Wright 1 or 2. This is a player who, despite a disappointing draft year, has franchise player potential, and probably greater odds of hitting that than anyone else.

We talked endlessly here about how if Montreal took Slafkovsky we either needed to take Wright or trade back "for a haul". I think it's now fair to say that a "haul" probably wasn't available for Wright. But how about a nice piece? We couldn't have gotten a 3rd round pick out of Arizona or Seattle to move up and get their guy, whether that was Wright or Cooley? Frank Nazar was still on the board at 13, we couldn't have gotten a protected '23 first out of Columbus to move up from 12 to 2? We talk a lot about how the top teams draft, and how they trade, but what really strikes me is how they get value in their moves. Everyone was gushing over Carolina's picks, but they didn't do anything special, they just took the best players that were still on the board without regard for position or need. That's how you end up with Trikozov and Perevelov at picks 60 and 71.

In taking Nemec we took a guy that was a tier below the top two, he was similar to Jiricek, Gautier, Nazar, Savoie, etc. As Steven said, what was the point of winning the lottery if we were just going to take a guy that would have been there at #5 anyway?

Now, I suppose you could argue that the organization believed that Nemec was truly the best player on the board after Slafkovsky went #1, and they simply could not risk another team taking him. But I don't buy that. I think Fitz was again drafting for need. I think the four RD taken make that pretty obvious. I think that if the team goes into draft with a BPA mindset, at least in the first round, we likely walk away with Shane Wright and Ryan Chesley. That's what smart teams do. That's what the Carolinas and the Tampas, and the Colorados do.

And I'm so f***ing sick of not being one of those teams. I'm so f***ing sick of having a GM that clowns around at the draft to get "his guy" when getting "his guy" has never worked out.

 

[Mgd31]

you prob said makar was trash pre draft

He said everybody was trash this draft other than Wright. But that’s why we love him.

 

[Captain3rdLine]

Nemec/Jiricek before Edvinsson in your rankings? That’s interesting! Not saying I disagree, but I was curious about that.

He was always a lot lower on Edvinsson but I think he’s come around a bit. But I think Edvinsson is in that group too and I wouldn’t put Jiricek anywhere near them. But that’s just me.

 

[Captain3rdLine]

Cooley wasn't the player that I wanted at 2, but I would have been okay with that. He's the only other player that's consistently been ranked close to (or even above, in some cases) Wright and Slafkovsky.

Of course, we both know that Nemec can end up being the best player from the draft. Heck, Brad Lambert or Mirochnechenko, or Yurov could, it wouldn't be a shock at all. The problem is that two players were consistently ranked top two (except for the occasional ranking of Cooley at 1 or 2. McKenzie's scout ranking told us all we need to know - almost every scout had Wright 1 or 2. This is a player who, despite a disappointing draft year, has franchise player potential, and probably greater odds of hitting that than anyone else.

We talked endlessly here about how if Montreal took Slafkovsky we either needed to take Wright or trade back "for a haul". I think it's now fair to say that a "haul" probably wasn't available for Wright. But how about a nice piece? We couldn't have gotten a 3rd round pick out of Arizona or Seattle to move up and get their guy, whether that was Wright or Cooley? Frank Nazar was still on the board at 13, we couldn't have gotten a protected '23 first out of Columbus to move up from 12 to 2? We talk a lot about how the top teams draft, and how they trade, but what really strikes me is how they get value in their moves. Everyone was gushing over Carolina's picks, but they didn't do anything special, they just took the best players that were still on the board without regard for position or need. That's how you end up with Trikozov and Perevelov at picks 60 and 71.

In taking Nemec we took a guy that was a tier below the top two, he was similar to Jiricek, Gautier, Nazar, Savoie, etc. As Steven said, what was the point of winning the lottery if we were just going to take a guy that would have been there at #5 anyway?

Now, I suppose you could argue that the organization believed that Nemec was truly the best player on the board after Slafkovsky went #1, and they simply could not risk another team taking him. But I don't buy that. I think Fitz was again drafting for need. I think the four RD taken make that pretty obvious. I think that if the team goes into draft with a BPA mindset, at least in the first round, we likely walk away with Shane Wright and Ryan Chesley. That's what smart teams do. That's what the Carolinas and the Tampas, and the Colorados do.

And I'm so f***ing sick of not being one of those teams. I'm so f***ing sick of having a GM that clowns around at the draft to get "his guy" when getting "his guy" has never worked out.

First Nemec was ranked in the top two by some people out there. He was also consistently ranked above the others you suggested he was in a tier with and we almost certainly wouldn’t have gotten him at 5 or later.
Like 4/5 mock drafts had him in the top 4 and if not 4 he was at 5. He was consistently ranked above the guys you just said he was in a tier with.

You mention Mackenzie’s rankings. Guess what, Nemec was ranked 2 in the 10 scout poll by at least one scout. Nemec has consistently been ranked close to and in some cases above some of those top 3 guys. That’s a fact

What the hell are you talking about saying that’s what the Carolina’s, the Tampa’s in the Colorado’s do. You think they just draft off of the consensus rankings and don’t use their scouts?

Pretty much everything you said here is pure speculation on your part. You could take what Fitz said to be true or you can make up your own version of what happened and believe that.
Nemec at 2 wasn’t a big reach and if that’s who they wanted the most they should take him.
There is no reasonable way they could’ve traded back and gotten Nemec if that’s who they wanted. It sounds like Seattle wanted him. So Arizona was the only option and why would they trade up 1 spot with Cooley and Wright sitting there.

Edit add: it looks like it’s been reported that Arizona was deciding between either Cooley or Nemec. So the two teams behind us were looking at picking the guy we took at 2. Wow such a reach. Arizona doesn’t seem to have been that interested in Wright.

You’re even assuming that the Devils actually liked Wright more than Cooley. Literally everything in this post is made up speculation.

Why would they have come away with Chesley? You have a problem with the goalie deal? And you have no clue if they even like Chesley.


And clearly no one has been talking about Wright as a franchise player. He isn’t a franchise player. That’s just stupid. If he was he wouldn’t have gone 4th.

 

[Saint Beaurivage]

I thought this was a great video of the Slovakians celebrating their draft day.

 

[JK3]

My extended family all love the pick lol, despite only 2 of my Uncles being knowledgeable on the sport. The rest are casual but passionate fans.

My entire father's side of the family is almost all here in NJ, all came over in the mid 80's to early 90's so most became instant Devils fans. They're all Gorale's also known as Highlanders or Polish Highlanders, but the ethnic group is also prevalent in North Slovakia and east Czech Republic. So there is a sense of kinship with Slovaks. Not sure if Nemec identifies as one but he was born less than 40 miles from my family's hometown in Poland. There will be plenty of Nemec jerseys in possession of my extended family.

My whole family is from Slovakia, all of my great grandparents are from the Spis region. Love seeing these Slovak kids going at the top of the draft.

 

[Devil made me do it]

And meanwhile, while we wait for those 2-3 years, it would be 2-3 years wasted on our Core's (Jack, Nico, Bratt) prime years before Nemec even gets on the ice. (though some here say he could join them as early as this season...we'll see)

This is what I'm thinking of when I say the Devils need an offensive splash in another post.

Fine. Fitz wanted Nemec so he got him.

Well go get Gaudreau then.

Gaudreau is 29 years old this year.
You wanna waste your cap money on a player who is about to be washed up in the next couple of years?
Haven't we learned anything from these contracts? Parise in Minnesota as an example.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Gaudreau is 29 years old this year.
You wanna waste your cap money on a player who is about to be washed up in the next couple of years?
Haven't we learned anything from these contracts? Parise in Minnesota as an example.

the entire team cant be 24 and under...

Gaudreau is arguably a top 5 wing in the NHL...his game is nothing like Parise, who played a much more hard nose game.

 

[Devils731]

Gaudreau is 29 years old this year.
You wanna waste your cap money on a player who is about to be washed up in the next couple of years?
Haven't we learned anything from these contracts? Parise in Minnesota as an example.

I don’t plan on wasting it but yes, I’m comfortable giving big money to JG right now.

I fully expect him to provide negative contract value the last 2-3 years but I expect the cap to be much higher by then so it shouldn’t hamstring the Devils.

 

[Devil made me do it]

I don't agree.
We can acquire good offensive talent in next year's draft as I expect Fitz will go all offense. Maybe a younger, cheaper free agent becomes available then. This team can score. We don't need to go all out and acquire some dynamite weapon. Just the right player at the right price and age.
Our problems last season were horrendous goaltending and subpar defensive play. We addressed those issues this offseason. We can still add to the offense but let's be smart about it.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

I don't agree.
We can acquire good offensive talent in next year's draft as I expect Fitz will go all offense. Maybe a younger, cheaper free agent becomes available then. This team can score. We don't need to go all out and acquire some dynamite weapon. Just the right player at the right price and age.
Our problems last season was horrendous goaltending and subpar defensive play. We addressed those issues this offseason. We can still add to the offense but let's be smart about it.

They can sign Gaudreau and also acquire good offensive talent in next year's draft...signing a good player doesn't prevent you from also drafting well....

the subpar defensive play was "addressed" but these guys arent going to make a big impact for at least 1-2 years, minimum.

 

[Devil made me do it]

You need to think long term. Brat is getting paid. Luke Hughes and Nemec will eventually need to get paid. High end defensive talents like that will cost. The price to pay for constructing a great defensive blueline.
Gaudreau is a really bad idea that could really suffocate our cap in three years where we would have trouble resigning the Mercers of the world.

 

[Forge]

We are really already thinking about Hughes and Nemecs long term contracts when they haven't started their elc?