Šimon Nemec

Šimon Nemec (born 15 February 2004) is a Slovak professional ice hockey defenceman for the Utica Comets in 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
Born (2004-02-15) 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

HK Nitra

Nemec 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 Slovakia U20 team. After the conclusion of the season, in league play, he solely played in Tipos Extraliga.[6]

Nemec's Canadian Hockey League (CHL) rights are owned by the Cape Breton Eagles of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). He was selected fourth overall by Cape Breton in the 2021 CHL Import Draft; however, Nemec preferred to play his draft year 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]

2022 NHL Entry Draft

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]

International play
Medal record
Representing  Slovakia
Ice hockey
Olympic Games
Bronze medal – third place2022 Beijing
Hlinka Gretzky Cup
Silver medal – second place2021 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.[14][15] He then made his senior IIHF international debut as part of the national senior team at the 2021 IIHF World Championship.[16] 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.[17][18]

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.[17][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.[19]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs
Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2019–20 Team Slovakia U18 Slovak-Jr. 123472 —————
2019–20 HK Nitra Slovak-Jr. 133584 —————
2019–20 HK Nitra Slovak 120330 —————
2019–20 HK Levice Slovak.1 2026818 —————
2020–21 HK Nitra Slovak 372171912 50000
2021–22 HK Nitra Slovak 391252620 195121714
2022–23 Utica Comets AHL 6512223420 61340
Slovak totals 883454832 245121914

International
Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM
2019 Slovakia HG18 7th 40000
2021 Slovakia WJC 8th 50442
2021 Slovakia WC 8th 50110
2021 Slovakia HG18 2nd place, silver medalist(s) 51562
2022 Slovakia OG 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) 70112
2022 Slovakia WC 8th 81562
2023 Slovakia WJC 6th 514510
2023 Slovakia WC 9th 50004
Junior totals 202161814
Senior totals 251788

References
  1. 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.
  2. "IIHF - Slovakia wins first ever Olympic medal". IIHF International Ice Hockey Federation. Retrieved 19 February 2022.
  3. Whyno, Stephen (8 July 2022). "Slafkovsky, Nemec lead new Slovak hockey golden generation". The Washington Post. Retrieved 17 July 2022.
  4. Powers, Scott (8 July 2022). "NHL Draft provides Slovakian hockey with historic moment". The Athletic. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  5. "Hokejista Nitry sa môže stať najmladším hráčom v histórii Tipsport ligy". sportnet.sme.sk (in Slovak). 9 August 2019. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
  6. Tessler, Josh (10 November 2021). "Scouting Report: Šimon Nemec". www.smahtscouting.com. Smaht Scouting. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
  7. Kennedy, Ryan (30 June 2021). "The CHL Import Draft was wild". The Hockey News. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  8. Kerr, Ben (5 May 2022). "Simon Nemec Scouting Report: 2022 NHL Draft". www.lastwordonsports.com. Last Word On Sports. Retrieved 5 May 2022.
  9. Campbell, Ken (7 July 2022). "NHL Draft: Comparing top defensemen Jiricek and Nemec". The Hockey News. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  10. Zator, Matthew (24 June 2022). "2022 NHL Draft Showdown: Simon Nemec vs. David Jiricek". The Hockey Writers. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  11. 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.
  12. Engel, Heather (8 July 2021). "Slovakia makes history in first round of 2022 NHL Draft". National Hockey League. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
  13. Morreale, Mike (14 July 2022). "Nemec, No. 2 pick in 2022 Draft, signs with Devils". NHL. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
  14. 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.
  15. "Slovakia U20 at eliteprospects.com". www.eliteprospects.com. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
  16. "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.
  17. Potts, Andy (18 January 2022). "Slovakia looks to teen trio". IIHF. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  18. Ellis, Steven (7 August 2021). "Russia wins Hlinka-Gretzky Cup gold with convincing win over Slovakia". The Hockey News. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  19. "Devils choose Simon Nemec 2nd overall". The Score. 7 July 2022. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
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