Šimon Nemec (born 15 February 2004) is a Slovak professional ice hockey defenceman for the Utica Comets of the American Hockey League (AHL) as a prospect to the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted second overall by the Devils in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, becoming the second of back-to-back Slovak selections.[1]
| Šimon Nemec | |||
|---|---|---|---|
.jpg) Nemec with the Utica Comets in November 2023 | |||
| Born |
15 February 2004 Liptovský Mikuláš, Slovakia | ||
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (185 cm) | ||
| Weight | 198 lb (90 kg; 14 st 2 lb) | ||
| Position | Defence | ||
| Shoots | Right | ||
| NHL team (P) Cur. team Former teams |
New Jersey Devils Utica Comets (AHL) HK Nitra | ||
| National team |
 Slovakia | ||
| NHL draft |
2nd overall, 2022 New Jersey Devils | ||
| Playing career | 2019–present | ||
Competing internationally as part of Slovak national team, Nemec won a bronze medal at the 2022 Winter Olympics, which was the first Olympic medal for Slovakia in ice hockey.[2] He is identified as part of a rising new generation of Slovak ice hockey players.[3][4]
Playing career
editHK Nitra
editNemec was born in Liptovský Mikuláš, Slovakia, and played youth hockey for the local club, MHk 32 Liptovský Mikuláš. Nemec began playing at the highest level in Slovakian hockey, Tipos Extraliga, starting in the 2019–20 season at the age of 15 with HK Nitra.[5] In his 2019–20 season, he split his time between Tipos Extraliga, Slovak 2. Liga and Slovakian national junior team. After the conclusion of the season, in league play, he solely played in Tipos Extraliga.[6]
Nemec was selected fourth overall by the Cape Breton Eagles in the 2021 Canadian Hockey League (CHL) import draft, but he elected instead to play his draft-eligible season in Slovakia.[7]
Going into his draft year, Nemec improved his game and recorded one goal and 25 assists for 26 points in 39 games for HK Nitra in the 2021–22 Slovak Extraliga season. In the playoffs, he recorded five goals and 12 assists for 17 points in 19 games, taking his team to the finals, where HK Nitra lost in six games to HC Slovan Bratislava.[8]
New Jersey Devils
edit_(1).jpg)
Following the 2021–22 Slovak Extraliga season, Nemec was seen as one of the top defensive prospects heading into the 2022 NHL Entry Draft and debated alongside Czech David Jiříček as the defenceman to be taken first.[9][10] Throughout the year, multiple scouts considered him a top five selection.[11] On 7 July 2022, he was selected second overall by the New Jersey Devils, after fellow countryman Juraj Slafkovský was selected first overall by the Montreal Canadiens, thus becoming the two highest drafted Slovak-born players in the NHL Entry Draft history.[12] It was only the second time in history that a single European nation had the top two selections in the draft, after Russia in 2004.[1] On 14 July, Nemec signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Devils.[13]
Nemec made the move to North America for the 2022–23 season, spending the entirety of the campaign with the Devils' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Utica Comets, and recording 12 goals and 22 assists in 65 games.
On 1 December 2023, the Devils recalled Nemec.[14] He made his NHL debut that night, recording two assists in a 6–3 loss to the San Jose Sharks.[15] He scored his first NHL goal on 7 December, the game-winner in a 2–1 victory over the Seattle Kraken.[16]
International play
edit| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
Representing  Slovakia
| ||
| Men's ice hockey | ||
| Olympic Games | ||
 |
2022 Beijing | |
| Hlinka Gretzky Cup | ||
 |
2021 Czech Republic/Slovakia | |
Nemec participated as part of Team Slovakia in the 2021 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, leading Slovakia in scoring with four points and being named one of his team's top three players.[17][18] He then made his senior IIHF international debut as part of the national senior team at the 2021 IIHF World Championship.[19] Later in 2021 he served as Slovakia U18 team's captain at the 2021 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, leading the team to a silver medal. He was voted most valuable player of the tournament, scoring one goal and five assists for six points in five games.[20][21]
After participating in the aborted 2022 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, cancelled as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Nemec was named to the Slovak squad for the 2022 Winter Olympics. He was one of three teenagers on the team, alongside fellow defenceman Samuel Kňažko and forward Juraj Slafkovský. He finished the tournament with an assist in seven games as Slovakia won the bronze medal game against Sweden, their first-ever Olympic medal in ice hockey.[20][2] In his second outing of the year with the senior team at the 2022 IIHF World Championship, Nemec lead all Slovak defencemen in scoring with one goal and five assists in eight games.[22]
Career statistics
editRegular season and playoffs
edit| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2019–20 | Team Slovakia U18 | Slovak-Jr. | 12 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2019–20 | HK Nitra | Slovak-Jr. | 13 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2019–20 | HK Nitra | Slovak | 12 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2019–20 | HK Levice | Slovak.1 | 20 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2020–21 | HK Nitra | Slovak | 37 | 2 | 17 | 19 | 12 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2021–22 | HK Nitra | Slovak | 39 | 1 | 25 | 26 | 20 | 19 | 5 | 12 | 17 | 14 | ||
| 2022–23 | Utica Comets | AHL | 65 | 12 | 22 | 34 | 20 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 0 | ||
| 2023–24 | Utica Comets | AHL | 13 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2023–24 | New Jersey Devils | NHL | 60 | 3 | 16 | 19 | 33 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| Slovak totals | 88 | 3 | 45 | 48 | 32 | 24 | 5 | 12 | 19 | 14 | ||||
| NHL totals | 60 | 3 | 16 | 19 | 33 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
International
edit| Year | Team | Event | Result | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Slovakia | HG18 | 7th | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2021 | Slovakia | WJC | 8th | 5 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 2 | |
| 2021 | Slovakia | WC | 8th | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2021 | Slovakia | HG18 | 
|
5 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 2 | |
| 2022 | Slovakia | OG | 
|
7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| 2022 | Slovakia | WC | 8th | 8 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 2 | |
| 2023 | Slovakia | WJC | 6th | 5 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 10 | |
| 2023 | Slovakia | WC | 9th | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | |
| 2024 | Slovakia | WC | 7th | 8 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 2 | |
| 2024 | Slovakia | OGQ | Q | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | |
| Junior totals | 20 | 2 | 16 | 18 | 14 | ||||
| Senior totals | 35 | 2 | 13 | 15 | 10 | ||||
References
edit- ^ a b Schram, Carol (8 July 2022). "Slovak Surprise: Slafkovsky And Nemec Make History As Top Two Picks In 2022 NHL Draft". Forbes. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
- ^ a b "IIHF - Slovakia wins first ever Olympic medal". IIHF International Ice Hockey Federation. Retrieved 19 February 2022.
- ^ Whyno, Stephen (8 July 2022). "Slafkovsky, Nemec lead new Slovak hockey golden generation". The Washington Post. Retrieved 17 July 2022.
- ^ Powers, Scott (8 July 2022). "NHL Draft provides Slovakian hockey with historic moment". The Athletic. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
- ^ "Hokejista Nitry sa môže stať najmladším hráčom v histórii Tipsport ligy". sportnet.sme.sk (in Slovak). 9 August 2019. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
- ^ Tessler, Josh (10 November 2021). "Scouting Report: Šimon Nemec". www.smahtscouting.com. Smaht Scouting. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
- ^ Kennedy, Ryan (30 June 2021). "The CHL Import Draft was wild". The Hockey News. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
- ^ Kerr, Ben (5 May 2022). "Simon Nemec Scouting Report: 2022 NHL Draft". www.lastwordonsports.com. Last Word On Sports. Retrieved 5 May 2022.
- ^ Campbell, Ken (7 July 2022). "NHL Draft: Comparing top defensemen Jiricek and Nemec". The Hockey News. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
- ^ Zator, Matthew (24 June 2022). "2022 NHL Draft Showdown: Simon Nemec vs. David Jiricek". The Hockey Writers. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
- ^ Portzline, Aaron (4 July 2022). "Simon Nemec, the No. 2 NHL Draft pick, made a wise choice to pivot from soccer". The Athletic. Retrieved 4 July 2022.
- ^ Engel, Heather (8 July 2021). "Slovakia makes history in first round of 2022 NHL Draft". National Hockey League. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
- ^ Morreale, Mike (14 July 2022). "Nemec, No. 2 pick in 2022 Draft, signs with Devils". NHL. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
- ^ Stein, Amanda (1 December 2023). "Simon Nemec Recalled by Devils". New Jersey Devils. Retrieved 2 December 2023.
- ^ Kasan, Sam (1 December 2023). "Devils Fall to Sharks in Nemec's Debut". New Jersey Devils. Retrieved 2 December 2023.
- ^ "Nemec scores 1st goal of career and Schmid makes 37 saves as Devils top Kraken 2-1". ESPN. 8 December 2023. Retrieved 8 December 2023.
- ^ Wheeler, Scott [@scottcwheeler] (3 January 2021). "Slovakia's top 3 players of the tournament: - Simon Latkoczy - David Mudrak - Simon Nemec (2022) Good run. They're going to be better next year, too" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 4 November 2021. Retrieved 21 February 2022 – via Twitter.
- ^ "Slovakia U20 at eliteprospects.com". www.eliteprospects.com. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
- ^ "MS 2021: SR do Rigy s historicky najmladším tímom, nedostali sa doň Koch, Regenda a Hrehorčák". HockeySlovakia.sk (in Slovak). 15 May 2021. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
- ^ a b Potts, Andy (18 January 2022). "Slovakia looks to teen trio". IIHF. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
- ^ Ellis, Steven (7 August 2021). "Russia wins Hlinka-Gretzky Cup gold with convincing win over Slovakia". The Hockey News. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
- ^ "Devils choose Simon Nemec 2nd overall". The Score. 7 July 2022. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
External links
edit- Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Eliteprospects.com, or Eurohockey.com, or Hockey-Reference.com, or The Internet Hockey Database