New Jersey Devils: Comparing Simon Nemec To David Jiricek

Higher Upside: Nemec vs. Jiricek

This one is interesting, and it could decide who goes where in this draft. It also has to do with who is drafting where. Defensemen usually get a little more leeway in the early parts of the draft. We’ve seen it work out before. Players don’t have to make the NHL right away at this position in order to become a star. The best young defensemen in the league include Cale Makar, Miro Heiskanen, Adam Fox, Charlie McAvoy, and Aaron Ekblad. Of those, only Fox was taken outside of the first round. Taking a defenseman high is usually a good proposition even if it is a risk to bet on the upside.

So, looking at Nemec versus Jiricek, the upside tells an interesting picture. Some say Nemec’s two-way play makes him a pretty good bet to be a top defenseman on some team. Will he be in Norris voting? That’s hard to say right now, but he doesn’t seem like that type of player. He could be, we suppose. He was a better scorer than Jiricek last year, but he was burying assists at a high rate.

Meanwhile, Jiricek is considered by some easily the best defenseman in this class. That’s not because he’s the best player at the position right now, but it’s because he’s the best player once they are NHL-ready.

Jiricek seems like he’s closer to NHL ready, he has much better size than Nemec, and he’s a big-play maker. Between his hitting ability and his scoring ability, he seems like he could be a star at the next level. Jiricek could be a star at the level of the names we mentioned earlier. That isn’t to say Nemec can’t, but that’s more projection than it would be for Jiricek. However, there are other issues we can bring up.

Advantage: Jiricek

Highest Floor: Jiricek vs. Nemec

This one might seem more cut and dry. Usually when one player has a higher ceiling, the other player in the argument has a higher floor. Thus, the argument at hand. This one isn’t quite the same as previous arguments, but let’s delve into what both players have going in their favor.

Nemec is someone with incredible hockey sense. We’ve seen in the past players overcoming crazy situations and talent limitations just because they are intelligent. It’s a mix between decision-making ability and general reflexes. Hockey is a fast game, and being able to think on your skates is important in the NHL. This is something that lifts Nemec’s floor immensely.

Jiricek’s size and current ability are what lifts his floor. He is almost an NHL player already. He will probably make the NHL before Nemec. That seems like he wins, right? Making the NHL is literally the floor of an NHL Draft prospect.

Here’s the difference with this argument. We’re not arguing who’s floor is closest to the NHL, we are talking about a higher floor. That’s easily Nemec. He will make the NHL, and when he does get there, his worst season will likely be as a second-line defenseman. His ceiling might be there, too. We kind of know what Nemec is going to be, and that’s a very safe defenseman who is going to make some plays, but he won’t do it with a ton of risk.

Advantage: Nemec

Better Fit For Devils: Nemec vs. Jiricek

What are the Devils looking for with this pick? They want an impact player for a long time. They want someone who will be able to jump into a defensive structure that is pretty set in stone. The Devils have Dougie Hamilton signed for six more seasons. The team wants to re-sign Damon Severson. Ty Smith, while coming off a bad season, is still considered a major part of the future. Jonas Siegenthaler probably is as well. Then, there’s Luke Hughes. He seems like a rock-solid foundation piece.

If the Devils go defense with the pick, they need someone who will be able to take a second-line role right off the bat and then eventually take the first-line role from Hamilton. He’s someone who will be good for a while, especially offensively. However, it would be good to have someone to take the pressure off.

Nemec provides safety in his role. He won’t make mistakes like others. If Ty Smith can get like 30 percent better, he might be an ideal partner to Nemec. It would be great for everyone involved.

Here’s the thing, we need someone who can match up with either Smith, Hughes, Siegenthaler, or even Kevin Bahl. That feels like Jiricek. He is a player that can adjust his game easier than Nemec because he does more overall. Do you need a big body that hits? That’s Jiricek. Do you need someone with offensive upside? That’s still a question, but we’re leaning toward Jiricek.

It’s so hard to value these two players offensively since Nemec seems like he could be a power-play dynamo already. However, everything the Devils might want seems to be what Jiricek has.