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

[Devs3cups]

When I’ve gotten to see Nemec play he’s been a total cowboy on the ice; which is why he’s so intriguing because he’s been willing to try so much.

I haven’t gotten to see his AHL games yet but it doesn’t seem like a total surprise that he’s unsure of his decision making as the coaches try to get his risk/reward thinking in proper order and he’s doing it against faster and better players than ever before.

I didn’t think the prospects games were concerning so it’s possible I just feel differently than how the people Wheeler talked to do.

Also, I’m old so I remember Niedermayer coming up as a total cowboy, looking totally uncomfortable as Lemaire road his decision making, and Nieds coming out of that crucible as a force. Not that Nemec is Niedermayer but I’m comfortable with seeing the player be uncomfortable as they learn.

That’s how I feel too. Nemec looked real good to me in his preseason games and in the rookie/training camps, I’ll put more stock in that. Adjusting to N.A ice and a new system is not easy. Nemec has performed everywhere, I’m not worried at ALL.

He’s also a young D-man. They usually take longer to adjust.

It’s been 7 AHL games. 7. Way too early.

 

[Forge]

I feel like too many people are writing off Luke Hughes as an option on the right side. That's where he's been playing (rather successfully) for years now.

I was counting Luke on the left is all since graves probably won't be back.

 

[imMagnum]

I'm not surprised by Wheeler's analysis, however I think Nemec will figure out how to adapt his puck playing game on NA ice. His decision making was good pre-draft, however he was not good at handling pressure in the OZone. The smaller ice would certainly amplify this pressure, but with experience and coaching I'm sure Nemec can learn to make better decisions with the puck.

My biggest concern with him has always been his play in the DZone. I'd love to hear how he's doing in that end.

 

[Nocashstyle]

Wheeler’s comments about Nemec seem a little overdramtic, “reports out of the Buffalo rookie tournament, his first training camp…” Whose report? We all watched Nemec during the rookie tournament and preseason. Nemec looked exactly like expected: moments of brilliance and moments where it’s clear this is a green 18 year old defenseman. It’s quite the stretch to say his performance was “not positive.”

I haven’t watched him in the AHL, and his numbers don’t look great, but it’s also unrealistic to expect an 18 playing his first games in NA to be without growing pains.

 

[Devs3cups]

Wheeler’s comments about Nemec seem a little overdramtic, “reports out of the Buffalo rookie tournament, his first training camp…” Whose report? We all watched Nemec during the rookie tournament and preseason. Nemec looked exactly like expected: moments of brilliance and moments where it’s clear this is a green 18 year old defenseman. It’s quite the stretch to say his performance was “not positive.”

I haven’t watched him in the AHL, and his numbers don’t look great, but it’s also unrealistic to expect an 18 playing his first games in NA to be without growing pains.

Yup. I thought he looked good in both camps and in pre-season. I even thought he’d be more than fine for a 3rd pairing role. Great skating, great poise and vision. Steady D-man.

I was all for him getting more seasoning in the AHL though. Nothing wrong if he starts with us at 20. He’s a smart player, I’m sure he’ll adapt, most high end guys do.

He’s also a D-man, from Europe, adapting to a new system and it’s been a measly 7 games. He’ll need time to develop properly, as Luke has (2 years before the show).

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

the thing with Nemec is they can take their time. Its not like we need him to immediately step into a top 4 role and get cratered since we already have good NHL RD depth.

Luke will 99% be in the NHL next year, so if Nemec needs a 2nd AHL year I Don't think its the worst thing tbh. That way you dont have to ask multiple rookies to play big roles.

 

[Devs3cups]

Here is @UticaHockey ’s post regarding Nemec when I asked him for his thoughts. He watches most of the Comets’ games from what I understand. Great stuff!

Nemec is getting a lot of ice time. He is paired with a steady LHD in Tyler Wotherspoon at even strength. He quarterbacks the 2nd PK unit which features two defensemen but Robbie Russo takes the position of a one time shot option from the left circle while Nemec is at the blue line. He is also getting time on the PK.

Nothing really jumps out at me watching him play but nothing really jumps out at me in a negative way either which is a complement for an 18 year old rookie playing in his first professional North American league. If I didn't know before hand he was an 18 year old kid, I would not have guessed it base on his play.

Last night he made some nice subtle plays with his stick and skates in the defensive zone but I really didn't see him drive the offense either which is what people are expecting to see from such a high draft choice. He needs time. A very young kid a long way from home playing against much older players.

 

[Guadana]

I'll be interested to see what we do with that third RHD spot next year. Don't want to force Nemec if he's not there (and obviously there's a bit to go before we even get to know that), so I guess maybe just Smith on the right side? I think he has an extensive history playing his off hand.

Feels like Walsh is mostly a top line AHLer so I don't know that I'm expecting him with the big league club.

Sign Severson for team friendly 5.5mil for seven years without nm/ntc and trade him next year for huge assets, because he is 1st pair level RD in his prime on the cheap contract. Satan will make a cabinette for Fitz after that.

 

[Guadana]

Wheeler is svcks btw. He was always bad.

 

[StevenToddIves]

Wheeler is svcks btw. He was always bad.

Scott Wheeler is pretty good with forwards, but his analysis is notoriously weak with defensemen, like many draft evaluators. Some examples are K'Andre Miller at #57 in 2018, Moritz Seider at #35 in 2019, Jake Sanderson at #19 in 2020.

I wrote Mr. Wheeler to question him on all three of those awful rankings, and each time it was a similar "but can they produce points?" type response. I respect him because he does his homework and watches the players, but he seems to subscribe to the absurd-but-widely-held-philosophy that the next Shane Gostisbehere is more valuable than the next Jake Slavin because of ten more points.

As for Simon Nemec, there is absolutely zero cause for concern. I'm fairly certain Nemec is the youngest regular defenseman in the AHL right now, and his play has been pretty good across the board.

 

[Guadana]

Scott Wheeler is pretty good with forwards, but his analysis is notoriously weak with defensemen, like many draft evaluators. Some examples are K'Andre Miller at #57 in 2018, Moritz Seider at #35 in 2019, Jake Sanderson at #19 in 2020.

I wrote Mr. Wheeler to question him on all three of those awful rankings, and each time it was a similar "but can they produce points?" type response. I respect him because he does his homework and watches the players, but he seems to subscribe to the absurd-but-widely-held-philosophy that the next Shane Gostisbehere is more valuable than the next Jake Slavin because of ten more points.

As for Simon Nemec, there is absolutely zero cause for concern. I'm fairly certain Nemec is the youngest regular defenseman in the AHL right now, and his play has been pretty good across the board.

Nah. He isn’t Bader, but he clearly prefer something obvious on pre nhl levels and didn’t stand on analyzing the actual tools and how it will work on nhl level. Defensemen of course. I don’t wanna dig more, because he is wrong in analysis of prons and cons, he can’t find interesting players like Button, his leagues preferences are wrong, etc.
And his “I heard something, blah blah, he didn’t produce tonns of points as 18 yo defenseman” is something not for me.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

Wheeler is svcks btw. He was always bad.

Agreed, a writer turned prospect guru somehow.

 

[jkrdevil]

Wheeler had some comments on Nemec in his latest mailbag, FWIW...

Four of the top six picks from the 2022 draft are playing in the NHL or AHL. Who’s looking the best and who’s looking a little underwhelming? — Logesh B.

The “Feeling Good About Yourself” meter, would probably look something like this:

1. Juraj Slafkvosky
2. David Jiricek
3. Shane Wright
4. Simon Nemec

Between Slafkovsky’s injury, Jiricek’s tough first couple of games in the NHL, Wright’s usage, and Nemec’s not looking like himself really at all, I wouldn’t say things have gone swimmingly for any of them. But Slafkovsky still has his confidence and the Habs seem happy with him, and Jiricek looked really good in the AHL before his promotion, so those two have that going for them.

...

And then there’s Nemec, whose reports out of the Buffalo rookie tournament, his first training camp, and the AHL have not been positive. He has struggled, in particular, with two things:

1. Running the power play, where he has looked unsure of his strengths and uncomfortable walking the point
2. Forcing decisions with the puck

That last point has been bit of a shocker to those who watched him last year, when his poise, reads, and choices were such a strength. I’m still confident it’ll come there though.

Where were these reports of a not great camp? Dinging a guy for being Utica because the big club has a solid defense core is odd.

 

[Devs3cups]

Where were these reports of a not great camp? Dinging a guy for being Utica because the big club has a solid defense core is odd.

His camp was good, that's the weird part.

 

[Ripshot 43]

Where were these reports of a not great camp? Dinging a guy for being Utica because the big club has a solid defense core is odd.

This is why I didn’t take any note of concern or seriousness with his writing on this topic. All we saw was people were thrilled with his skating and how he showed much more flashes offensively then many of us were expecting.

I’m still on board the no need to rush him train.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

YOu have to remember guys like Wheeler and Pronman watch SO much on prospects that its hard for them to also keep up with NHL players as well, let alone training camps. Thats why while I check out their work of "re-drafting the XXXX draft" and "top u-23 players in the league", I also take them with a grain of salt.

I wasnt as dialed in to camp this year as in year's past, but my takeaway for Nemec wouldnt have been "he stinks". He didnt look like he was out of place. Of course he needs to work on a bunch of things, hes 18 years old.

 

[Devs3cups]

YOu have to remember guys like Wheeler and Pronman watch SO much on prospects that its hard for them to also keep up with NHL players as well, let alone training camps. Thats why while I check out their work of "re-drafting the XXXX draft" and "top u-23 players in the league", I also take them with a grain of salt.

I wasnt as dialed in to camp this year as in year's past, but my takeaway for Nemec wouldnt have been "he stinks". He didnt look like he was out of place. Of course he needs to work on a bunch of things, hes 18 years old.

Exactly, he didn’t look out of place, which is great for a European 18-year old D-man adapting.

 

[Devs3cups]

Simon with 3 shots and +2 so far tonight for Utica.

 

[Devils090]

Defenseman always take time, especially if they come over from Europe, im not worried about Nemec at all. And like it was mentioned a few posts back, we don’t really need to rush Nemec up here given the RD depth. Worst comes to worst he starts here next year and either sticks around taking his lumps or goes to Utica for another season and hopefully dominates.

 

[MauDevils]

It's way too early for me to care what anyone says about Nemec. Wright certainly isn't making us regret anything, Slafkovsky wasn't available and Jiricek looked slow as hell against us which was my biggest fear with him.

 

[Xirik]

It's way too early for me to care what anyone says about Nemec. Wright certainly isn't making us regret anything, Slafkovsky wasn't available and Jiricek looked slow as hell against us which was my biggest fear with him.

The only thing I don't like about Nemec is how people say his name. I like Nem-eck not Nem-its

 

[xigon]

^this is what I think of when I see his name.

 

[Xirik]

^this is what I think of when I see his name.

I see you are a man of culture good sir.

 

[PizzaAndPucks]

So start to his AHL season offensively. 2 points in like 10 games. Atleast he is a +2 on a not so great Comets team. The AHL for an 18 year old player especially a defensman is a pretty big step up from the league he was in last year. He's probably going to be down there all of this year so we know he won't be too rushed.

 

[Faterson]

The only thing I don't like about Nemec is how people say his name. I like Nem-eck not Nem-its

Both are incorrect. Why would you want to mispronounce anyone's name? Would you want people to mispronounce your name?

It's SHE-monn NEH-mets. The Utica announcer in the Twitter video above pronounced it flawlessly.