Foote, Nemec with Big Seasons in Utica | BLOG

The off-season is underway for the New Jersey Devils and its American Hockey League affiliate, the Utica Comets. During Devils General Manager Tom Fitzgerald's year-end media availability, he discussed the progress he's seen from several players with the Comets.

It's been a whirlwind year for the Devils 2022 Second-Overall pick Simon Nemec. The defenseman played 65 games with the Comets in the AHL for his first professional season in North America. Nemec scored 12 goals and added 22 assists for 34 total points in a strong showing during his first AHL season.

"As an 18 year old, the American Hockey League is a tough league, it really is," Fitzgerald shared. "We thought the strides and steps that (Nemec) made this year were huge. It's a learning curve. There's games where I'm sure he understood things that the coaching staff wanted him to do different, he applied it, and you saw a glimpse of what our future looks like."

With a big year of growth and learning under his belt, the Devils prospect embarks on a significant off-season: his first full summer with the resources of an NHL franchise supporting him. What's the plans for Nemec moving forward?

"There's no rushing this player," Fitzgerald shared on the plans for Nemec. "My guys tell me he's going to come in and he's going to push for a spot (in Devils training camp). And that's all you want. You want to see that growth, you want to see that development.

"It's a huge summer for a young player like that, an 18 year old turning 19," Fitzgerald continued. "It's a big summer for him. The gains that he can make in the summer strength wise, it's only going to help him become the best player he possibly can. But we're not going to forget he's only 19 years old and what he will look like when he's 22, 23, 24, 25, it's exciting to say the least."

When Fitzgerald was asked about a player that has stood out to him and the coaching staff for their progress this past season, he responded with forward Nolan Foote.

"Nolan Foote, I think he's the example of proper player development," Fitzgerald shared. "He's a kid that scored goals from the outside in Junior, he does have a hell of a shot. I think with our guidance and help through our development team, our coaches down there, Dan MacKinnon who runs Utica, educating him on what type of player he would look like at the NHL and how he would be successful and try to help him reinvent himself."

Foote played 55 games with the Comets and contributed 20 goals, 17 assists, and 37 total points. He played six games with the Devils as well where he had a goal through his call-up. Fitzgerald was encouraged by Foote's play at the NHL and AHL levels and his commitment to excelling in a new position with the Comets.

"He scored 20 goals this year at the American Hockey League level," Fitzgerald explained about Foote's season. "He played center. That's just incredible, for a kid who's never really played center. He's got good size, his skating has improved, he showed well when he got called up here. He's a real good kid but he was committed to (growth). And that's all you ask.

"When I look at player development I look at where he started, where he was, and where he's going," Fitzgerald shared. "I give all our credit to our staff, our coaching staff down there. But most importantly, Nolan should get a lot of credit as well because he accepted it, and he's thriving in it, and we have big plans for Nolan."