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

[PKs Broken Stick]

The original thought was he would be ready to come in and play a 3RD defensive role but Marino and Nemec definitely could have changed those plans even if he was willing to sign. I see your point with Utica.

Yea Mccarthy doesn't really have a future here anymore imo.

 

[glenwo2]

Why don’t you tell him there’s no Santa or Tooth fairy you son of a bitch! Lol

There is no Santa...

There is MR. CLAUS, Beeyotch!



I would like Mr. Claus to give us a Bratt Contract Signing, please.

 

[ninetyeight]

I don't see how he's like Heiskanen at all. Heiskanen's defense first. Nemec is offense first with shaky defense. I don't see Heiskanen level skating either. Nemec is a good skater but Heiskanen is an exceptional one.

Heiskanen is one of the best all situations dman in the league, so the comparison is kinda unfair. However they are both puck moving twoway transition dmen, with Heiskanen being stronger in defence. I think the narrative that Nemec is some one dimensional (Quinn Hughes type) offensive only player is false. His defence is not as bad and his offence is not as good as some people think. He's not really a shooter, he doesn't have an accurate or powerful shot. But he does get the puck through traffic for deflections and rebounds. His passing, puck carry and control are his elite traits. But we'll have to see how any of it translates to nhl (skating and hockey iq as well).

 

[NJ Devil]

I don't see how he's like Heiskanen at all. Heiskanen's defense first. Nemec is offense first with shaky defense. I don't see Heiskanen level skating either. Nemec is a good skater but Heiskanen is an exceptional one.

Heiskanen is defense first?

Didnt know that. Saw him as an offensive defenseman. Probably because I seemingly remember when he first showed up that, defensively, he was a mess for them in those playoffs.

Rookie mistakes or my misinterpretation. Either way, if true, definitely didnt know that.

 

[TBF1972]

Spoiler alert man JFC!

There’s obviously children that post on these boards!

i really wonder which part of his post you consider unhealthy for the kiddies

hey kids,
it's only an eklund rumor that santa and the tooth fairy don't exist.

 

[Billdo]

I don't see how he's like Heiskanen at all. Heiskanen's defense first. Nemec is offense first with shaky defense. I don't see Heiskanen level skating either. Nemec is a good skater but Heiskanen is an exceptional one.

I don't see Heiskanen as defense first. He's a great player but I wouldn't say his defense stands out as far as labeling him a defense first guy.

 

[Lou is God]

Nemec is absolutely getting an unfair rap for bad defense.

Yea Mccarthy doesn't really have a future here anymore imo.

Prediction - McCarthy (one of my favorite Devils prospects) will go the free agency route after his four years at BU and sign with the Ducks to play with his bestie Trevor Zegras.

 

[devilsblood]

I don't see Heiskanen as defense first. He's a great player but I wouldn't say his defense stands out as far as labeling him a defense first guy.

Ya, played 2:17 per game on the pp. 1:39 on the PK.

At 5v5 had a 49% offensive faceoff share. So pretty even distribution. Very much used as a 2 way d-man.

By comparison Hakanpaa had a 38% offensive faceoff share. Also played 2:16 on the PK. He and Lindell(45% ozone and led the team in PK minutes) were Dallas's defensive first guys.

On the other end of the spectrum Klingberg had a 57% ozone % and led the team in PP toi/g. If he is indeed gone it's likely Heiskanen takes more of the offensive opportunities.

 

[devilsblood]

Nemec is absolutely getting an unfair rap for bad defense.


Prediction - McCarthy (one of my favorite Devils prospects) will go the free agency route after his four years at BU and sign with the Ducks to play with his bestie Trevor Zegras.

No doubt, given he went 2 OA, he'd have to be an absolute gem offensively if he played "shakey defense". And not much suggests that he is that high end offensive defensemen.

I'm not saying he plays at all like Heiskanen, or will be as good as him defensively but I do suspect Nemec will be similar in that he is a legit 2 way player.

 

[Mr Bojanglez]

I'm getting "overall" Paul Martin vibes

 

[markog]

I'm getting "overall" Paul Martin vibes

I'm getting Olli Joulevi vibe with this guy.

 

[devilsblood]

I'm getting "overall" Paul Martin vibes

I'm getting Olli Joulevi vibe with this guy.

I'm getting Bobby Orr-ish type vibes myself.

 

[Clam Jensen]

I'm getting Bobby Orr-ish type vibes myself.

I was thinking a Sheldon Souray/Pete Harrold hybrid.

 

[devilsblood]

I was thinking a Sheldon Souray/Pete Harrold hybrid.

Stevens/Niedermayer love child.

 

[ninetyeight]

I'm getting Nicklas Lidström/David Schlemko vibes..

 

[Ripshot 43]

I think he’s going to be somewhere between Nick Lidstrom and some guy we’ve never heard of before.

 

[Devils731]

I get a Harry Cameron and Bert McCaffrey vibe.

 

[Devs3cups]

Man, having two top D prospects who happen to be in the top 10 overall prospects in the league is really refreshing.

 

[Lou is God]

Man, having two top D prospects who happen to be in the top 10 overall prospects in the league is really refreshing.

It's a bit surreal.

 

[Hockey Sports Fan]

No doubt, given he went 2 OA, he'd have to be an absolute gem offensively if he played "shakey defense". And not much suggests that he is that high end offensive defensemen.

I'm not saying he plays at all like Heiskanen, or will be as good as him defensively but I do suspect Nemec will be similar in that he is a legit 2 way player.

he’s like the most productive u18 defenseman ever in the Slovak league or something. That’s why the NHLe type models rated him as like a 99% change of being an NHLer. He’s not a flashy Makar-type, so we’ll have to settle for something more like a Lidstrom type of ceiling.

 

[devilsblood]

he’s like the most productive u18 defenseman ever in the Slovak league or something. That’s why the NHLe type models rated him as like a 99% change of being an NHLer. He’s not a flashy Makar-type, so we’ll have to settle for something more like a Lidstrom type of ceiling.

He was 4th on his team amongst d-men in points(though he did top the team in the playoffs).

Not trying to poo poo his accomplishments, but if you were playing D for that team, you were putting points on the board.

But I think Lidstrom is a fair comp. As a floor at least.

 

[My3Sons]

he’s like the most productive u18 defenseman ever in the Slovak league or something. That’s why the NHLe type models rated him as like a 99% change of being an NHLer. He’s not a flashy Makar-type, so we’ll have to settle for something more like a Lidstrom type of ceiling.

Perhaps a Lovejoy- Harry Connick, Jr. hybrid at his best. He can kill a penalty while singing Melancholy Baby. What a renaissance man!!

 

[Hockey Sports Fan]

I think he’ll be the perfect combination of Topper Harley and Rick Vaughn.

 

[vlady]

He was 4th on his team amongst d-men in points(though he did top the team in the playoffs).

Not trying to poo poo his accomplishments, but if you were playing D for that team, you were putting points on the board.

But I think Lidstrom is a fair comp. As a floor at least.

No, he was 2nd. He was also the top scoring d-man for Nitra in his D-1 year.

HK Nitra stats

 

[ninetyeight]

he’s like the most productive u18 defenseman ever in the Slovak league or something.

He's definitely a high end offensive defenceman, in terms of playmaking, zone entries and control. He just lacks that powerful accurate shot that some other offensive heavy dmen have. He's scored like 3 goals in his 70 something games in the Slovakian league, but put up a ton of assists. So in that sense the Roman Josi etc comparisons he's had are inaccurate. David Jiricek actually has the better shot of these two.