CALGARY — Taking part in in a star soccer sport final week with fellow Slovaks Martin Pospisil and Sam Honzek, little did Simon Nemec know he’d quickly be one in every of their Calgary Flames teammates.
However following 4 irritating seasons in New Jersey the place the 22-year-old defenceman was introduced alongside a lot slower than he needed, Nemec will lastly get the opportunity to hitch them in Calgary to reveal why he was the second-overall decide in the 2022 draft.
After a number of years of stockpiling draft picks, Craig Conroy lastly discovered an age-appropriate cornerstone to spend a few of them on.
This was not the kind of transfer signalling the Flames are prepared to chop corners (or flip the nook) on their rebuild.
It was an ideal instance of cashing in on a unique opportunity made attainable by Nemec’s frustration and Calgary’s intensive draft capital.
“If you get a 22-year-old right-shot defenceman that was second total in the draft and he is on the upswing, that is one thing we thought we needed to goal,” Conroy instructed Sportsnet, after sending the Devils a conditional 2027 first-round decide (from Vegas), a conditional 2028 first-round decide (from Colorado), a 2026 second-round decide (from the Rangers) and minor-league defenceman Etienne Morin for Nemec and proper winger Maxim Tsyplakov. (Each conditional first-round picks are top-10 protected.)
“We paid an enormous worth, there isn’t any doubt, however that is why we acquired these (picks). The important thing for me was retaining our personal picks — that was the precedence. You take a look at Vegas and Colorado — they’re superb groups — so these are going to be later picks in the draft. And we felt wish to get a participant of this calibre, it was price placing all this stuff in to get him.”
Earlier than anybody will get too involved the acquisition of one other right-shot defenceman might infringe on the expansion or ice time of the crew’s most coveted prospect — Zayne Parekh — chew on this nugget from the GM:
“I can positively see Parekh on the left facet,” stated Conroy, who watched the 20-year-old begin to flourish late in the 12 months, partially on his off-side.
“I assumed he performed rather well there with (Zach) Whitecloud (one other righty). He really stated he loved it extra on the finish of the 12 months, in order that’s why I wasn’t afraid to do one thing with one other proper shot man.”
So, pencil in Kevin Bahl and Nemec on the highest pair, and Parekh and Whitecloud on the second unit, with younger guys like Yan Kuznetsov (lefty), Abram Wiebe (lefty) and Hunter Brzustewicz (righty) pushing alongside veteran lefties Olli Maatta and Joel Hanley and righty Brayden Pachal. A number of wholesome competitors there, and loads of causes to imagine the Flames will choose for a ahead after they decide sixth total Friday.
“He strikes the puck effectively, he can play each particular groups, he can play towards high gamers, sees the ice effectively, jumps in on the offence,” stated Conroy of Nemec, whose second full 12 months in the NHL this season noticed him rating 11 objectives and 26 factors in 68 video games.
“He was type of behind a number of guys there, the place I believe he’ll get to essentially take a extra distinguished position right here.”
Nemec stated he by no means requested for a commerce, “however each side type of knew one thing needed to occur,” he stated of the frustration surrounding the actual fact the 6-foot-1, 190-pound defender spent 112 video games in the minors over his first three seasons.
“It was irritating somewhat bit as a result of I felt I can get extra ice time, and after I did I believe I proved I may very well be a superb participant in this league,” stated Nemec.
The Flames’ New Jersey-based scout, Kerry Huffman, felt the identical approach, as did the remainder of the eastern-based scouts who really feel like Nemec is on the cusp of blossoming into the kind of high-impact participant he was pegged at when he was drafted.
A restricted free agent in want of a contract he wasn’t eager to signal in New Jersey, Nemec stated he’s open to signing long-term with the Flames.
“For certain,” he stated from his residence in Slovakia.
“They gave up lots for me, and I wish to keep so long as I can. It has been a fairly thrilling night time.”
Nemec helped Slovakia win bronze on the 2022 Beijing Olympics, the nation’s first males’s hockey Olympic medal. He additionally helped Slovakia end fourth on the 2026 Olympics.
“If I take a look at the group, it’s a superb match for me,” stated Nemec, who performed nearly 20 minutes an evening this season, in a second-pairing position behind Dougie Hamilton.
“I additionally know some guys from Calgary. (Conroy) instructed me to be in fine condition for the large minutes, and that’s clearly what you need. I can be prepared for that.”
When Conroy speaks of trying for age-appropriate gamers (21 to 23 years outdated) the crew can develop with, he all the time factors out they’re not often obtainable, making this a unique state of affairs he pounced on.
“When his identify turned obtainable, and after speaking to our professional scouts and what we’re type of making an attempt to determine, it simply felt like the best factor,” he stated, declaring he’s been targeted on including centres and defencemen.
“When you may get a superb younger participant that is going to be along with your crew, we hope for the following 15 years, that is what you’ve acquired to surrender.”
For a participant who was captain and named tourney MVP on the 2021 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, and set the tourney file for factors by an 18-year-old defenceman on the 2022 world championships, his upside could be very, very excessive.
“I believe coming over, not talking the language, it simply took somewhat time,” stated Conroy of the actual fact New Jersey positioned Nemec in the minors for his first full 12 months as a professional, in addition to the majority of his third season.
“However his sport has actually rotated, and at 22 he is a man that we felt we will develop with now. The brand new constructing is 2 years away and he is actually going to be hitting his stride hopefully the following couple years, and we expect he’ll be an enormous a part of this shifting ahead.”
Tsyplakov gained’t be, as he’s a 27-year-old depth ahead with 12 objectives during the last two seasons who has one 12 months left on a deal price $2.25 million.
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