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

[Antiillafire]

Hard to see him getting any substantial time given our RD depth. Maybe a call up at the end of the season if we miss the playoffs but I think they keep him under 10 games.

Yeah I’m not saying there is a guarantee he will play but maybe they space out those 9 games over the second half of the season. A large role on Utica is better than a very limited role in Nj I think

 

[My3Sons]

I agree. If our goaltending is average we should be a bubble team and then we would have some tough decisions to make. If we aren’t making it then we have 2 really nice trade pieces, altho 2023 1sts should be hard to get at this trade deadline with the deep draft coming. As said above, Hughes wouldn’t come in until his college season is over.

It may be a good draft but I doubt the 27th-32nd pick is seen that much differently than most years.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

There is a situation where the team cashes out on Graves and Seversom at the DL and replace them with Nemec and Hughes.

Depends where the team is at come the deadline.

It’s pretty sad for Damon that probably one of the last touches on the “rebuild” to become a competitive will be shipping him out.

 

[Emperoreddy]

I am actually more inclined to keep Graves now as the left side needs a safety net

 

[Captain3rdLine]

I am actually more inclined to keep Graves now as the left side needs a safety net

Nah no thank you. He wasn’t good enough and we have Siegenthaler, Okhotiuk, Bahl and Mukhammadullin and Hughes coming. Also have Smith right now.

 

[RSeen]

Yeah I’m not saying there is a guarantee he will play but maybe they space out those 9 games over the second half of the season. A large role on Utica is better than a very limited role in Nj I think

Could be similar to Holtz from this past season.

 

[MasterofGrond]

We absolutely need to move Graves at the deadline, unless we're not just in the hunt but seeing home ice in the 'offs, imo

 

[NJDevs26]

Let Nemec and Luke both debut next year, then Fitz won't even have to make a big trade or signing to improve the blueline again.

 

[Captain3rdLine]

We absolutely need to move Graves at the deadline, unless we're not just in the hunt but seeing home ice in the 'offs, imo

We could probably afford to if Bahl and Okhotiuk are looking good at that point and our back-end is healthy.

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

I am actually more inclined to keep Graves now as the left side needs a safety net

If he's willing to sign for like 2 mil aav sure. He's gunna look to get like 6 mil aav (possibly more). No freaking thanks to that.

 

[RSeen]

If he's willing to sign for like 2 mil aav sure. He's gunna look to get like 6 mil aav (possibly more). No freaking thanks to that.

We won't need Graves outside of a 3rd pair role so it most likely makes the most sense to let him walk since we will have prospects who are capable of taking that role.

We absolutely need to move Graves at the deadline, unless we're not just in the hunt but seeing home ice in the 'offs, imo

I doubt we would trade him if we are battling for a playoff spot. Similar to 2017, we actually ended up adding. I think Fitz would value the experience of playoffs more than the 2nd or 3rd Graves returns.

 

[billingtons ghost]

What do you guys think Graves's asking price for an extension would be? I think you talk extension with him first, and you see what you have in Bahl/Ohk/Mook before moving him at the deadline. I know we have Luke and potentially a hoarde of other guys, but right now Graves > those other guys until proven otherwise.

I like them all very much, but I liked Ty Smith last year alot too. Luke and Mook haven't played a game yet.

 

[Captain3rdLine]

What do you guys think Graves's asking price for an extension would be? I think you talk extension with him first, and you see what you have in Bahl/Ohk/Mook before moving him at the deadline. I know we have Luke and potentially a hoarde of other guys, but right now Graves > those other guys until proven otherwise.

I like them all very much, but I liked Ty Smith last year alot too. Luke and Mook haven't played a game yet.

I wouldn’t be very interested in extending him. And Bahl and Okhotiuk were both easily better than him at the end of last season IMO. I would bet that one of them is above him in the lineup before the deadline. How long would it take of them being better would it take for them to prove otherwise?

Ty wasn’t very good defensively even when he was putting up numbers as a rookie. Bahl and Okhotiuk are good defensively.

 

[Lou Bloom]

What do you guys think Graves's asking price for an extension would be? I think you talk extension with him first, and you see what you have in Bahl/Ohk/Mook before moving him at the deadline. I know we have Luke and potentially a hoarde of other guys, but right now Graves > those other guys until proven otherwise.

I like them all very much, but I liked Ty Smith last year alot too. Luke and Mook haven't played a game yet.

Graves is an okay #4/5 defenseman, With the amount of depth the Devils have on the left side (Hughes, Siegenthaler, Muk, Okhotyuk, Bahl, Brendan Smith) it just doesn't make sense to pay $4M+ for a player that might not even be the 4th best LHD on the roster in a year.

Sure those guys are unproven but in a salary cap league you're always going to be relying on young players to develop into core and supporting pieces. Banking on an elite group of young LHD prospects to fill the position and using that $4M to lock up a more pressing need or to re-sign your more important players is a better use of cap.

 

[RSeen]

Graves is an okay #4/5 defenseman, With the amount of depth the Devils have on the left side (Hughes, Siegenthaler, Muk, Okhotyuk, Bahl, Brendan Smith) it just doesn't make sense to pay $4M+ for a player that might not even be the 4th best LHD on the roster in a year.

Sure those guys are unproven but in a salary cap league you're always going to be relying on young players to develop into core and supporting pieces. Banking on an elite group of young LHD prospects to fill the position and using that $4M to lock up a more pressing need or to re-sign your more important players is a better use of cap.

Agree with this, Graves is not someone we need to extend, given he would be potentially in a 3rd pair role and we would have cheap replacements available.

 

[ninetyeight]

I think Graves is getting a little underrated here with all the shiny new toys around. I think he looked outstanding in the first half of the season and was alright the second half considering the whole team was falling apart. Offensively he could be better (his shot, he's a good passer though), but I think he's pretty solid defensively. The numbers probably don't show it for obvious reasons.

 

[JK3]

Graves started great but was pretty meh to bad in the second half. I’m all for not re-signing him. Luke, Bahl or Okhotiuk (whom I’m very big on) need a spot and if they’re not quite up to it yet we still have Smith2.

I’m all for shipping out Sevo for something nice up front, just in time to slot Nemec in.

The way things a shaking out the timing is absolutely perfect. We can save a ton of cash and slot our new studs in and be set for a long time on defense.

 

[Saint Beaurivage]

Guys, I watched this video this morning and realize we have a sick player in Nemec. Wow is he smooth.

I am starting to wonder if this guy really might be better than Slafkovsky. I think he might be.

Sorry if it has been posted before.

 

[Devs3cups]

Guys, I watched this video this morning and realize we have a sick player in Nemec. Wow is he smooth. Sorry if it has been posted before.

How did dude at 1:07 miss that???

How Nemec didn't end up with a point in this game is insane!

Once again, I see a great skater and a poised player making good decisions in the O and D zone.

 

[devilsblood]

It’s pretty sad for Damon that probably one of the last touches on the “rebuild” to become a competitive will be shipping him out.

Yeah it is. I would have liked to keep him around, but really, once we signed Hamilton to the big contract, it was going to be tough to sign Sev's to a reasonable deal. Then you sign Nemec and the dominoes were lining up.

But hey, maybe Fitz is willing to go the slow route with Nemec, pencil him in for 2 years in Utica, maybe sign Sev's to a 5 year deal or something, and then sort out the log jam in 2024? Seems unlikely but it would make us more win now, and it also extends the Nemec-needs-to-be-paid timeline, which does have value.

 

[Devils731]

I think Nemec may need to up his tempo if he wants to be as hyper aggressive in the AHL and NHL.

On the other hand, the smaller rink encourages aggressive play when compared to the larger international rink so maybe everything cancels out and he only needs to make adjustments to his angles of attack.

Probably will still need a quicker first step; he needs that less on the larger ice so that may come pretty naturally now that he needs it more. We will see.

 

[Devs3cups]

I think Nemec may need to up his tempo if he wants to be as hyper aggressive in the AHL and NHL.

On the other hand, the smaller rink encourages aggressive play when compared to the larger international rink so maybe everything cancels out and he only needs to make adjustments to his angles of attack.

Probably will still need a quicker first step; he needs that less on the larger ice so that may come pretty naturally now that he needs it more. We will see.

I actually thought about that and yeah I think this is true. He seems like a high IQ guy, he'll figure it out as it should come more naturally.

 

[13BearerOfHope]

I think Graves is getting a little underrated here with all the shiny new toys around. I think he looked outstanding in the first half of the season and was alright the second half considering the whole team was falling apart. Offensively he could be better (his shot, he's a good passer though), but I think he's pretty solid defensively. The numbers probably don't show it for obvious reasons.

I agree. Graves would get good minutes in any Stanley winning cup team. He is real solid overall and a rock. Type of guy you can always use. Keep him. Ds get hurt - need 8 good players

 

[13BearerOfHope]

Guys, I watched this video this morning and realize we have a sick player in Nemec. Wow is he smooth.

I am starting to wonder if this guy really might be better than Slafkovsky. I think he might be.

Sorry if it has been posted before.

Nice! I am getting hyped as I have been every Summer since Nico’s drafting…. But now the team is really coming together.

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

We won't need Graves outside of a 3rd pair role so it most likely makes the most sense to let him walk since we will have prospects who are capable of taking that role.

That's exactly what I'm saying. I'd perhaps keep him if he was willing to sign a cheap contract, but he wont.