The New Jersey Devils saw yet another important player suffer an injury on Tuesday. In the 3-2 shootout win against the Pittsburgh Penguins, Jonas Siegenthaler lost an edge near the boards, and head coach Sheldon Keefe admitted he is going to miss some time.
The Devils have two games until the 4 Nations Face-Off break, so this might be a very short-term move, but Keefe has two games to get creative before finding a more long-term replacement. Enter former second-overall pick Simon Nemec. After a pretty terrible start to the season, which might have been due to a shoulder injury he suffered during Olympic trails, Nemec was sent down to the AHL.
It was clearly not a move he agreed with, and we’ve gone through a spell where many thought Nemec was going to force his way out (despite him saying that wasn’t the case). After everything that’s happened this season, Nemec has turned into a dominant force in the AHL. He’s been the Utica Comets’ most consistent offensive force with Seamus Casey injured.
Nemec has 18 points in the last 18 games since the Christmas break. He has these incredible performances where he carries his team to victory. That offensive ability is abundant on the Devils defense, but more offense is never a bad thing for a team that desperately needs it. This team is missing pieces on the offense, including leading scorer Nico Hischier, so anyone who can drive the puck is a necessary cog.
What’s surpririsng is Keefe is pairing Nemec with Luke Hughes, another play driver who brings offense to the defense. Obviously, the pairings were going to change with the call up of Nemec and Siegenthaler hurt. Pesce is moving to the left side, so Hughes loses his normal partner. He’s immediately replaced with Nemec, but this is a much different pairing.
Simon Nemec and Luke Hughes will bring volatility, but hopefully that leads to offense
Nemec was paired with Casey to start the season, and they didn’t work, but Hughes isn’t Casey. He has the speed to make up for any mistakes the two might make. He can get back as well as any defenseman in this league.
That’s why this crazy idea just might work. Volatility will be part of their pairing, but that’s almost a positive in this situation. They will also be volatile in the offensive zone and with their zone exits, which could lead to high-danger chances. They are both supremely talented, and that talent alone will lead to more chances for this offense. Add a structure and talented forwards, and this could lead to higher-scoring games.
The Devils are testing something that could help in the interim. If it doesn’t work and it causes too many big chances against and not enough offense, then Keefe will break them up pretty quickly. This is worth the risk, though, especially against a great team like the Vegas Golden Knights.