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Devils Need to Avoid a Familiar Mistake with Simon Nemec

The New Jersey Devils need to avoid a familiar mistake they once made and do what’s best for Simon Nemec’s development.

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Devils Simon Nemec Mostly Strong in NHL Debut
New Jersey Devils' Šimon Nemec, center, controls the puck during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the San Jose Sharks, Friday, Dec. 1, 2023, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)

The New Jersey Devils are experiencing a bit of deja vu regarding one of their young stars. After wearing incredibly thin on the blue line during the 2023-24 season, the Devils finally have plenty of NHL bodies on the back end. Unfortunately, it’s coming at the cost of keeping their former second-overall pick, Simon Nemec, out of the lineup.



For the past few games, Nemec has been stuck watching games from the press box as a healthy scratch. After a promising rookie season, the 20-year-old defenseman has just one point through nine games, along with a litany of defensive errors. It’s safe to say his sophomore campaign has not gone according to plan.

READ: Devils Coach Reveals Short-Term Plan for Simon Nemec

Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe has given some insight on the plan for Nemec in the short term, and it sounds like he should get cozy in the press box. With the return of Luke Hughes and Brett Pesce from injury and the breakout of Johnathan Kovacevic, it may be some time before Nemec finds his way back into the lineup.

“Right now, we’re in a situation where we’re trying to get Hughes and Pesce up to speed and give them as many reps as possible,” Keefe explained. “So that’s the first thing. The other defensemen, to me, have performed very well or are well established players for us.”

 

This puts Nemec and the Devils in a sticky and familiar situation.

During the 2022-23 season, another former top prospect found himself in a near-identical situation. Former Devil and current Vegas Golden Knight, Alexander Holtz, was deemed a “victim of success,” and his development paid the price.

General Manager Tom Fitzgerald opted not to send Holtz to the minors, feeling that he’d best be suited practicing with NHL-calibre players. This decision proved to be a killer for Holtz’s development, as he went on to play in just 19 NHL games that season and struggled to progress in the areas of his game they hoped he would.

The Devils would eventually send Holtz down, but it was far too late in the season, only appearing in 14 AHL games. The then 20-year-old winger, who was thought of as a pillar in the organization, played in just 33 games during that season and never seemed to be on solid foundation with the coaching staff and management.

Fast forward to today, and we’re back in a similar spot with Nemec. He’s played just nine games, and unless there’s an unfortunate injury, it doesn’t look like he’ll be back in the lineup anytime soon. As it stands, Keefe seems comfortable deploying him as their seventh defenseman until further notice. But as very recent history has shown, they can’t let him waste away in the press box.

As they did with fellow top prospect Seamus Casey, it would be in Nemec’s best interest for him to spend some time in the AHL with the Utica Comets. It’s already paying dividends for Casey, as he’s put up four points in just two games while playing significantly more ice time.

A demotion to the AHL doesn’t mean the end for Nemec as a future star in the NHL. Nemec is currently playing zero minutes as a 20-year-old defensive prospect. Spending a few weeks playing 20-plus minutes a night on Utica’s top pair will both help him develop while also keeping him up to game speed for whenever the Devils do decide to insert him into the NHL lineup again.

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