Simon Nemec Flames Deal Is a Major Bet
Key Takeaways
- Calgary traded multiple conditional draft picks, a second-rounder, and prospect Etienne Morin to New Jersey for Nemec and forward Maxim Tsyplakov on June 23. - Nemec signed a long-term deal after posting career highs of 11 goals and 26 points in a recent season. - The 22-year-old Slovak defenseman owns an Olympic bronze medal from 2022 and finished fourth with Slovakia at the recent Olympics.
The Simon Nemec Flames era starts now. Calgary acquired the former top draft pick from New Jersey, then handed him a significant contract. For a player with limited career points, that is a massive bet on projection over production. It could look brilliant in two years.
It could also haunt the Flames through the duration of the contract.
What did Calgary give up for Simon Nemec?
The price was enormous.
Calgary sent conditional draft picks and a second-round pick, along with defenseman prospect Etienne Morin to New Jersey. Forward Maxim Tsyplakov came to Calgary with Nemec in the swap.
A significant package for a guy the Devils moved on from after three seasons and a notable number of games.
New Jersey drafted Nemec second overall in 2022, the highest a Slovakia-born defenseman has ever been selected. Giving up on a pick that high, that fast, sends a message. Maybe the Devils saw a ceiling they didn't like. Maybe they needed the cap flexibility. But three years and out for a top pick raises real questions about what they saw behind closed doors.
Here's the flip side: Calgary clearly sees something New Jersey didn't. Or at least something New Jersey was not willing to wait for. And the Flames paid like they're sure.
Can Simon Nemec break out offensively?
Last season was Nemec's best: 11 goals, 15 assists, 26 points. All career highs.
He logged significant minutes of ice time and completed his entry-level contract trending in the right direction.
But 26 points is middle-pairing production. The Flames are paying a premium for a player who has never hit 30. The offensive tools are obvious. Good skater, active stick, willingness to jump into plays, a shot that found the back of the net 11 times last season.
The consistency just hasn't arrived yet.
Nemec's development path hasn't been smooth, either.
He played a notable number of games as a rookie, dropped in games played in his second year, then climbed back to a higher total. That dip in games disrupted his trajectory at a critical point in his development. Whether that was coaching, performance, or a roster logjam in New Jersey, the lost year cost him.
The Olympic resume adds a different layer. Nemec helped Slovakia win its first Olympic hockey medal ever, a bronze at the 2022 Games. At the recent Olympics, he picked up two assists in six games as Slovakia finished fourth. He has been the centerpiece of Slovak hockey since his teens.
The kid shows up when the lights get bright.
Is the Simon Nemec Flames contract worth the risk?
Calgary didn't have much of a choice here.
Once you trade significant draft picks for a player, you commit. A bridge deal would have been safer. But it too would have left Nemec one strong season away from demanding a much higher salary on his next contract. A long-term deal buys cost certainty through what should be his prime.
The bet comes down to one question: does Nemec become a 40-point, top-pairing defenseman? If yes, this contract looks like a steal by Year 3. If no, the Flames are stuck with an overpaid second-pairing guy and a depleted prospect cupboard after paying a premium to acquire him.
The Flames need him to hit.
Their blue line has questions, and Nemec is now the best young defenseman on the roster. That is a lot of weight for a 22-year-old changing organizations for the first time in his career.
The major bet opens October 9. Watch his ice time in the first month. If Calgary feeds him significant minutes and first-unit power-play reps, the belief is real. If he's sheltered on the second pair, the confidence might not match the paycheck.