James Nichols
NEWARK—Earlier this winter, New Jersey Devils defenseman Simon Nemec was a hot button topic in NHL trade rumors. The rumors were a result of a report that suggested perhaps Nemec wanted to seek employment elsewhere. New Jersey Hockey Now caught up with the former second overall pick for clarity.
Nemec has been with the Devils since he was drafted in the summer of 2022. He spent his first season following the draft, playing 65 games for the Utica Comets in the American Hockey League. In his second pro season in North America, Nemec replaced Dougie Hamilton in the 2023-24 season as a result of New Jersey losing their No.1 defenseman for the entire season. Nemec went on to play 60 NHL games after playing his first 13 in the AHL.
And although Nemec made the initial 2024-25 Devils roster, he was reassigned to the Comets after nine games amid struggles at the NHL-level.
A report suggested Nemec was frustrated with the Devils organization, citing his remark, “I can’t remember any No. 2 draft pick that went to the farm for a third year.”
Nemec was further prompted if he wanted to be traded, which sent the hockey world into a buzz. The Devils defenseman clarified the comments on Wednesday.
*Quotes lightly edited for clarification.
“Yeah, I mean, first thing it was a bad translation,” Nemec explained to New Jersey Hockey Now. “I was unhappy with myself because I was expecting more from myself. It’s too early [for something like that]. I mean, everything’s fine. I think just a bad translation.”
When asked to clarify what he meant by “too early” for something like that, Nemec explained he needs to prove himself before making demands.
Nemec’s sentiment aligns with what New Jersey Hockey Now reported back in December. The Devils have no indication that the former second overall selection is unhappy with the organization, and they have no appetite to trade him.
READ MORE: Devils Reaffirm Simon Nemec Future, For Now
When asked how the communication is between Nemec and the Devils in terms of expectations and general well-being, Nemec explained everyone is on the same page.
“[The] communication, it’s pretty good,” Nemec said to NJHN. “They just tell me what they want from me. And I’m just trying to do that on the ice.”
Now, Nemec is back on the main roster. Jonas Siegenthaler fell victim to injury before the 4 Nations break, and Nemec was the first recall for replacement.
He’s looking forward to the opportunity to prove he belongs in the NHL.
“It’s a second chance for me, and I just want to show I belong here,” Nemec said. “I just want to show how I improved over the last few months.”
Nemec had a rough start to the season. He revealed to New Jersey Hockey Now that he was still dealing with an injury he suffered over the summer playing for Team Slovakia at the Olympic qualifier.
The injury had ramifications on Nemec’s mindset as a result.
“Yeah, I was dealing with my confidence, too,” Nemec told NJHN. “It’s hard to get the confidence in the NHL if you’re hurt, and then you’re not playing, obviously, the big minutes, on the power play, and all that stuff.”
Nemec then explained he felt the reassignment to Utica was only beneficial to him.
“It helped me to be in AHL for a little bit,” Nemec explained. “But now I think I’m full of confidence to play here and show how I improved in the last couple of months.”
It was a rough start when Nemec returned to New Jersey. The Devils were beat up by the Vegas Golden Knights in a game where head coach Sheldon Keefe benched the 21-year-old for some poor decision-making.
When asked about his long stay on the bench after the game, Keefe explained it wouldn’t be fair to nitpick Nemec when the whole team played poorly.
Still, Nemec knew he didn’t have the best start.
“Obviously, the first game was, was hard for me. [There was] a lot of travel before I was in California, and then I traveled [to New Jersey],” Nemec explained “It was a hard game for everyone, it wasn’t a good game. But our next game, we played the really good. I think I played pretty good too, I got more minutes, and I think I [started to] show how I’ve improved.”
Nemec reiterated he believes he’s a better player now than when he left the Devils earlier this season. He’s striving to be the best two-way defenseman possible, and is looking forward to grabbing hold of the current opportunity in front of him.
The Devils still hold Nemec in high regard. Certainly, the blueline is a position of strength for them this season. However, Nemec is still believed to be a key player for New Jersey’s future. He also has the opportunity to never look back if things go well in his current stint.
Never say never, but don’t expect Nemec to go anywhere, anytime soon.
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