Nemec Signs Three-Year, Entry-Level Contract | RELEASE

The New Jersey Devils today signed defenseman Simon Nemec, the second overall selection in the 2022 NHL Draft, to a three-year, entry-level contract, with an average annual value of $950,000. Nemec is currently attending New Jersey's 2022 Development Camp in Newark. The announcement was made by Executive Vice President/General Manager Tom Fitzgerald. Nemec, 18, completed his third season with HK Nitra in Slovakia's top professional league, Tipos Extraliga, and recorded 26 points (1g-25a) in 39 regular-season games. The right-handed shot's 26 points ranked second for Nitra's defensemen last season. Overall, Nemec earned 48 career points (3g-45a) in 88 regular-season contests with Nitra between 2019-20 to 2021-22. Additionally, the blueliner ranked second on the team with 17 points (5g-12a) in 19 games for the 2021-22 Extraliga playoffs, which also led all league blueliners in the postseason and ranked him third overall amongst skaters.
The 2022 NHL Draft marked the first time in NHL history that Slovakian-born players were selected at No. 1 and No. 2 overall after the Montreal Canadiens drafted forward Juraj Slafkovsky with the first-overall draft pick. Before 2022, Marian Gaborik was the highest Slovakian native drafted when the Minnesota Wild selected him at No. 3 in the 2000 draft. It also marked the third time in team history that the Devils owned the No. 2 overall selection and the first time since New Jersey drafted Brendan Shanahan in 1987.
Born on Feb. 15, 2004, a native of Liptovsky Mikulas, Slovakia, Nemec represented his country several times in international play. In 2020-21, he played five games at the International Ice Hockey Federation's (IIHF) U20 World Junior Championship (WJC) and collected four assists. Nemec then skated in five games at the IIHF's World Championship (WC). The 18-year-old was named a 2020-21 "U20 WJC Top 3 Player on Team" and earned the WC "Most Points by U18 Junior." He also represented Slovakia at the 2021-22 Winter Olympic Games and helped Slovakia win a Bronze Medal, which marked its first-ever Olympic Medal for ice hockey. Additionally, Nemec played in the 2019-20 and 2021-22 Hlinka Gretzky Cup and recorded six points (1g-5a) in nine total games. Nemec was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player and won a Silver Medal in 2021-22.