Simon Nemec's Recent Injury Scare Proves Tom Fitzgerald Won The Offseason

Nothing lasts forever. As is the case with summer, the NHL offseason is now in the rearview mirror. Many flashy signings and transactions took place, and, as they always do, teams across the league were looking at all options for improvement, making for some much-needed excitement. The Nashville Predators signed both Jonathan Marchessault and Steven Stamkos, the Canadians traded for Patrik Laine, the Lightning traded for and then locked up Jake Guentzel, and the plethora of signings made by the Capitals, just to name a few. 

The New Jersey Devils certainly had themselves quite an off-season. Being the front runners to and eventually signing defenseman Brett Pesce, bringing in a tough physical big body presence in Brenden Dillon, trading for gritty Swiss army knife forward Paul Cotter, and bringing back forwards Stefan Noesen and Tomas Tatar have led many to believe New Jersey will be the team to beat in the Metropolitan Division. Oh yeah, and they also traded for someone named Jacob Markstrom.

These acquisitions certainly highlight a very successful off-season for GM Tom Fitzgerald, however a recent piece of news provides reason as to why Fitzgerald and the New Jersey Devils won the 2024 off-season.

Simon Nemec recently suffered an upper-body injury in an Olympic qualifier as a member of team Slovakia. As of this writing, Nemec is currently undergoing further testing to assess the seriousness of his injury. This is, as is the case with every sports franchise, part of the ups and downs of every season. Injuries are a real part of the yearly campaign, and, as Devils fans know far too well, they can either make or break a season. They can cost a coach's job, dwindle the hope of a fanbase, undermine a player's potential, and minimize a team’s contention window. 

With training camp set to begin in less than two weeks and Nemec dealing with this unknown injury, it is important to highlight the importance of readiness and preparation. Tom Fitzgerald knew this was the season that would tell the story of whether or not these New Jersey Devils are a flash in the pan that tricked an entire fanbase two seasons ago or if they are here to compete and bring the fight to any team on the opposite side of the ice. 

By ensuring that injuries would be met with plans B, C, and D, Fitzgerald cultivated a formidable backend, bringing in reinforcements in the likes of Jonathan Kovacevic, Colton White, Santeri Hattaka, and Seamus Casey, along with game changers in Brett Presce and Brendan Dillon. 

GM Tom Fitzgerald means business with the off-season he had. He knows there must be a response to the year that was last. If he couldn’t get his team to win last season, he wasn’t about to let them lose in the off-season, and he did not. We all hope Nemec’s injury is the furthest from serious and he makes a swift recovery in time for training camp. However, if he cannot, Fitzgerald made sure the Devils would be ready this time around.