The Calgary Flames today announced that they have extended defenseman Simon Nemec, whom they recently acquired via trade.
The Flames picked up Nemec, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, from the New Jersey Devils, along with Maxim Tsyplakov, for two first-round picks, one second-round pick, and Etienne Morin in a trade that was completed on June 23.
Nemec was an RFA as he had just completed his ELC, so the Flames needed to sign him, and they did just that.
Calgary Flames Extend Simon Nemec
The Flames announced on Monday that they have signed Nemec to a five-year contract for $7.25 million per season, for a total of $36.25 million. Per PuckPedia, the contract does not feature any sort of no-trade protection.
Simon Nemec Is a Defenseman on the Rise
Just 22 years old, Nemec is a Slovakian native who just completed his third season in the NHL.
He is known more as a defensive defenseman, but his offense picked up this past season as he scored 11 goals and 26 points in 68 games for New Jersey.
Overall, Nemec has played 155 NHL games with 16 goals and 49 points, all for New Jersey. He has also played in four playoff games for the Devils, scoring a goal and an assist.
With the Devils recently hiring Sunny Mehta as the team’s general manager, the club has made a number of moves where they have traded several of their former players away to other clubs. One of those players was Nemec, a talented young defender who needed a new contract.
New Jersey has limited cap room this offseason, while the Flames had a ton of money to spend, so it made more sense for these two teams to complete this trade, which looks like a win-win move for both clubs.
Now that he’s in Calgary, which has a pressing need for a top young defender, look for Nemec to play over 20 minutes per night for his new team. He looks like he’s an excellent fit with the Flames, and with Nemec being locked down for five years, he’ll be with the Flames through his prime hockey years.
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