The New Jersey Devils made the difficult decision this season to send Simon Nemec down to the Utica Comets after he struggled to start the season. He came into the year with a chance to do the impossible, showcase himself as the Devils top-line defenseman at just 20 years old. A shoulder injury in Olympics trials likely put him too far behind the eight ball, and then a pairing with rookie Seamus Casey was bad for everyone involved. Now, he's with the Comets, and he's finally looking like the guy who was taken second overall in the 2022 NHL Draft
When we look at Nemec as a player, he's dominating the AHL after a month of struggles. He just had five points in one game on Wednesday night. He's getting closer to a point-per-game, and one might argue he should replace Casey in the AHL All-Star Game if the rookie is still out with an injury. Yet, nobody on Thursday is talking about his incredible performance. Instead, they are discussing a comment he made in a Slovakian newspaper.
“It’s hard to say, it’s still too early to request a trade. If this situation continues, it will have to be addressed, but for now, this is how it stands.”
— Tomáš Prokop (@Lewysko) January 15, 2025
Wait, too early to request a trade? Where did this come from? We understand the frustration of not sticking in the NHL and now the impact a possible Johnathan Kovacevic extension could have on his future, but this all seems a little extreme. But since the conversation is out there, let's discuss who might make sense for the Devils. Which possible trade chips would actually move the needle enough for the Devils to send their top prospect.
1. Elias Pettersson
Vancouver Canucks
We've covered this a few times, and obviously the contract is what is going to hold this up more than anything, but we'd imagine if the Devils truly are in the Elias Pettersson sweepstakes, Simon Nemec is part of the package going the other way. We don't need to spend a lot of time on why this works. Pettersson is a legit superstar, but he's paid like one (north of $11 million), and it would be hard for the Devils to make it work. But it's not impossible, and yes, they could still pay Luke Hughes after signing Pettersson.
This would change the Devils fortunes and expectations. This would become a top Stanley Cup contender for all national media analysts and most with common sense. How they woul figure out the future is a future Tom Fitzgerald problem.
Most of the other names on this list are players or prospects still under 23 years old, giving the Devils a lot of control over their destiny.