Simon Nemec is on absolute fire for the New Jersey Devils. It couldn’t have come at a better time, as the Devils are overwhelmed by injuries.
The latest of which is to Jack Hughes, who will be out of action for perhaps two months.
Hockey analyst and host of The Sheet Jeff Marek told Devils beat reporter James Nichols on the latest Devils Rink Report that Simon Nemec’s recent play is exactly what New Jersey envisioned when they selected him second overall in 2022—and the best may still be ahead.
“They chose Simon Nemec over Logan Cooley. And Logan Cooley can make the argument, you know, right now, is the best player in that draft,” Marek said.
But defensemen, Marek stressed, follow a different timeline.
“I’ve always maintained that the hardest position to transition into the NHL—outside of netminder, because you got to spend a lot of time in the minors before you make it to the NHL, that’s awful, it’s hard—but I will say this: the transition from forward to the NHL is a lot easier than defenseman in the American League to the National Hockey League.”
The gap is stark.
“It’s bigger, it’s faster. You have to be able to think quicker. It takes a long time until the game slows down around you.”
Modern expectations have warped patience.
“We have this almost unreal expectation now, and we’re seeing it again with Matthew Schaefer, who stepped in. He’s the best defenseman for the Islanders, you know, inside of 15 games. Things have to happen quickly, and if they don’t happen quickly, then they’re never going to happen.”
Marek refuses to rush judgment.
“I don’t make my mind up about defensemen, James, until 150 games in the NHL. Then you start to really get a snapshot of, okay, what is this guy about? Maybe 200 games for goaltenders is 100 for me. For defensemen, it’s somewhere between 150 to 200.”
For Nemec, the breakout is only beginning. He scored a hat-trick against the Chicago Blackhawks last week, one game after he scored a late-game tying goal to send the Devils into overtime.
“So I think we’re just probably scratching the surface here on how good Simon Nemec is going to be for the New Jersey Devils—or wherever else he may end up, depending on what comes up in the not too distant future for the New Jersey Devils.”
One game, though, turned heads league-wide.
“But make no mistake about it—every team in the NHL paid attention to that Chicago game 100%.”
Nemec isn’t just meeting expectations. He’s starting to redefine them.