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

[Triumph]

It seems obvious they didn’t have a real conviction after Slaf, passed on Wright because he didn’t fit a need and passed on a trade cause there wasn’t anyone willing to deal so they boxed themselves in.

Who says they didn't have Nemec #1 on their board? This stuff drives me up a wall - NHL draft boards are so wildly different from e.g. McKenzie's top 10

 

[Forge]

I'll "like" him if he learned how to have Defense *NOT* be a weakness.

I mean....I've never seen that before where a D-man prospects Scouting report says THAT.

But that's pretty common for their defensive game to be the weakness. It even says it in the text.

 

[Jersey Fresh]

It seems obvious they didn’t have a real conviction after Slaf, passed on Wright because he didn’t fit a need and passed on a trade cause there wasn’t anyone willing to deal so they boxed themselves in.

I know what Fitzgerald said, I just think he's trying to hype the pick more than tip his hand like, "Well, we needed a right defenseman and this guy is one, so you know, whatever I guess."

I think we needed a RD and Nemec was top on their board. Again, three teams passed on Wright.

 

[glenwo2]

Dude you have no idea what you're talking about, all you're doing is repeating one guys opinion.

Luke Hughes's defensive play is worse than Nemec's, yet for some reason you don't seem to want to talk about that at all.

Have a Snickers, take some Xanax, get a good nights sleep and try again tomorrow.

Nah, I'd rather stay awake and b*tch some more.

I'm on a roll.

 

[Devils090]

18 year old d-men need work defending? Really?

I'm fine with the pick. I would love to hear some scouts talk about doubting Wright. Pretty interesting to see what happens over the next 4-5 years.

Adam Fox is 24 and his defense “needs work” but guess what he’s one of the best defenseman in the league. Nemec can skate and facilitate like a point guard. Very excited to have him in our system.

 

[Saugus]

Nemec compared to Quinn Hughes:

I don't know how reliable that second guy is, but this makes me feel slightly better about it.

That said, I wish people would stop citing Bader so much. He has no idea what he's talking about half the time, and he commits the cardinal analytics sin of using bad data. I'm literally an analytics professional and even I think he's an idiot.

 

[Cheddabombs]

It seems obvious they didn’t have a real conviction after Slaf, passed on Wright because he didn’t fit a need and passed on a trade cause there wasn’t anyone willing to deal so they boxed themselves in.

How true is that need thing really. Arizona passed on Wright for another center. I think it's clear that teams just weren't as high on Wright as some of those consensus rankings may lead you to believe.

 

[NJDevs26]

People, listen to me. This pick was what the Seider pick was to Detroit. Just a wise non-conventional pick. It may have seemed bold and too early of a pick at the time but instinctly proved to be the right pick. That's how I feel about Nemec.
The kid is going to be really good and at his position and age, extremely hard to find unless you win the lotto.

Tell me what in Fitz or Castron’s track record of losing franchises would lead you to believe they should get the same benefit of the doubt a la Yzerman who built most of the superteam in Tampa?

 

[Emperoreddy]

Who says they didn't have Nemec #1 on their board? This stuff drives me up a wall - NHL draft boards are so wildly different from e.g. McKenzie's top 10

Hell mock drafts this year were all over the board. There was nothing concrete about this draft.

 

[Hisch13r]

I think the pick is "fine". He's one of the guys I'm "fine" with. Not what I'd have went with.

 

[Captain3rdLine]

It seems obvious they didn’t have a real conviction after Slaf, passed on Wright because he didn’t fit a need and passed on a trade cause there wasn’t anyone willing to deal so they boxed themselves in.

Why would they make a deal if Nemec was the guy they wanted? It’s very unlikely he would gotten past 4 and the word around was that Seattle really liked him. There would be no reason for Arizona to trade up.

 

[Normal Devil]

I had my heart set on something big, but my most accounts Simon Nemec is a future top pair RD. He's pretty elite. I'm more surprised than disappointed at this point. I do doubt that the Devils are going to be making the big moves I was expecting. I don't expect to see any major additions at wing this year. I think we'll stink again and wind up high in another draft next year.

 

[devilsblood]

Nemec compared to Quinn Hughes:

I'm liking Bader all of a sudden.

And who doesn't love Bacon?

 

[Captain3rdLine]

I don't know how reliable that second guy is, but this makes me feel slightly better about it.

That said, I wish people would stop citing Bader so much. He has no idea what he's talking about half the time, and he commits the cardinal analytics sin of using bad data. I'm literally an analytics professional and even I think he's an idiot.

Ummm I’m not a fan of using those kinds of models on their own for drafting prospects.

But the 2nd guy just so happens to be far more reliable than the first IMO.

You can take his model for what it’s worth but I wouldn’t take much from anything coming from Bader

 

[DerekDevils30]

I think the pick is "fine". He's one of the guys I'm "fine" with. Not what I'd have went with.

Going to have a very mobile backend going forward. Hamilton, Severson, Hughes, Nemec. Yowza.

 

[severian]

The intel is that Seattle loved Nemec at 4. They couldn’t have moved back for him. Like I said three days ago, if he was your guy, you go get him at 2.

Makes sense. I honestly just had us pencilled in as getting Slaf. I never pictured the Habs taking him first overall.

 

[NJDevs26]

How true is that need thing really. Arizona passed on Wright for another center. I think it's clear that teams just weren't as high on Wright as some of those consensus rankings may lead you to believe.

Fitz literally cited having a RHD who could shoot as part of his rationale

 

[Blender]

Hell mock drafts this year were all over the board. There was nothing concrete about this draft.

Even the Vegas betting odds were wildly shifting 30 minutes before the draft still. Things were all over the place this year, anyone claiming a consensus order is out of touch.

 

[Devs3cups]

Tell me what in Fitz or Castron’s track record of losing franchises would lead you to believe they should get the same benefit of the doubt a la Yzerman who built most of the superteam in Tampa?

Yzerman also drafted Connolly 6th O. and Koekoek 10th O. Pretty easy to only see the W's.

 

[13BearerOfHope]

Good we didn’t get Slaf - head is too big, custom made helmets expensive.

Solid to pick D. Now can management stop being pu$$ies and own the trade table!?

 

[glenwo2]

You don’t take a stay at home defensive defenseman at 2nd overall

Right.

You take Shane F'N Wright at #2.

Then you find Defensive Defenseman later on in the draft.

Or you find them in Free Agency

Or the Scrap heap.

It's easier to find those types of defenseman than it is to find Shane F'n Wright players (yes, it's easy to find wingers but I'm talking about Wingers that don't suck)

 

[Cheddabombs]

Fitz literally cited having a RHD who could shoot as part of his rationale

Do you think that's what the actual discussion was internally when deciding on the pick? I'm not going to worry about a 10 second interview clip right after the pick was made.

 

[Mr Bojanglez]

Hey! We got a talented draft pick that is now a member of our organization. Show some love! Give him a chance to prove ya'll right or wrong. Is it what you wanted? Fine. But we got something good. Something that, pre-lottery, we would have been happy to have.

 

[Billdo]

Going to have a very mobile backend going forward. Hamilton, Severson, Hughes, Nemec. Yowza.

I think that's the plan. Hamilton, Hughes, Nemec, Hischier, Hughes, Bratt sprinkled with Mercer, Holtz, Shara, Shak, etc. It's not as bad of a pick as most of the ppl in here googling "how to tie a noose" would lead you to believe...

 

[Blender]

Yzerman also drafted Connolly 6th O. and Koekoek 10th O. Pretty easy to only see the W's.

Survivorship bias is nothing new in NHL draft discussions.