It’s no secret that the 2024-25 season was definitely a nightmare for the New Jersey Devils’ second pick in 2022. According to Natural Stat Trick, his 34.59 expected target (XGF%) is The worst Among the 264 defensemen (Min. 100TOI) playing in the NHL this season. In just 21 games, the opposition created 39 More More than the Devil’s scoring chance when he is on the ice.
Related: Hockey equivalent to shohei ohtani
His drama has been under scrutiny on several occasions, especially after the March 7 match against the Winnipeg Jets. Head coach Sheldon Keefe announced the score with a 6-1 loss and didn’t show how the team played (overall) and noted: “Tonight, the youngest player was very tough on the ice tonight.” Of course, that player was Nemec, who made three personal mistakes that directly led to the goal.
Don’t forget who Nemec is
Many people seem to forget two very critical factors. First, Nemec has just recently changed the legal drinking age in New Jersey (21), so ice products may be far from being completed. But secondly, despite being forced to play a best role in one season, he ran a very good campaign just one season ago.
At the time, in 60 games, he boasted about the difference of 52.28 XGF% and plus 2 goals despite playing throughout the Devils game. Ronno Hockey placed him at the 82nd percentage point of the offensive impact. His pace in every game throughout the season will give him about 26 points, one of the most respected seasons for the U20 rookie defender in recent years. He showed an active stick with a solid hockey IQ and didn’t shy away from physically. In other words: he looks like part of the second pick, and he develops his lineage by performing very well with men.
He then suffered an injury in the Olympic qualifiers in Slovakia in August and started the NHL season very hard. He only got one major assist in nine games, which obviously looked incorrect. He was sent to the American Hockey League (AHL) Comet Utica and struggled there for weeks. Then, just as he began to find his big strides and looked healthy, a report from Slovakia exports was misunderstood by many, which made it seem unhappy with the devil’s organization.
In reiterating a question, some people mistakenly believe that Nemec wants to start from New Jersey, although that has never been the case. In some cases, popular media such as Spittin’Chiclets even combine two completely separate quotes with different parts of the article, effectively capturing the flames and causing the situation to blow up unfairly. But Nemek has only given him My own Games and no performance.
At about the same time, this was developing, but the lack of confidence seemed to surpass his game. Since last season, his points production has dropped by 55%, his shooting percentage has dropped by 98%, and his harvest has increased by 21%… while his giveaway has soared by more than 117%.
Turn
It seems to have exploded in recent games, with Nemec showing more flashes of his 2023-24 self. His best five games of the season (based on XGF%) were all in March. Among those, the Devils ended their opponents 25-14. While some questioned NEMEC’s work ethics and ability to take responsibility, Coach Keefe praised his reaction in adversity. After Nemec won the match title against Edmonton, Keefe said: “For me, it’s not just today’s response. I think his response today is because of his response (after the tough Winnipeg game), but also how he handled it (very well) how he handled it. I think how we look at ourselves in maturity and growth, while Nemo’s growth and responsibility at the same time. Thatto me, is crucial. Actually, it’s even more important than anything that happens On the ice. It was maturity to become a professional, and I was very satisfied with how he handled it at the time. ”
Simon said to get the lead. pic.twitter.com/2cow9a0xpf
– New Jersey Devils (@njdevils) March 14, 2025
In recent matches against the Blackhawks, Nemec scored an impressive 62.67 XGF% and received a fine. Give him 15:19 ice time and only put the opposition into the expected target of 0.14 (0 actual). The Devil seems to have split the workload between Nemec and the recently acquired Dennis Cholowski. However, despite Nemec’s troubles, Cholowski did not improve.
The Devil surpassed sixths with a 2-0 score in Jolowski’s shift. His New Jersey 30.88 XGF% is worse than the NEMEC overall season. Although he was more of an offensive defender, he had only one point in the AHL before the trade with New Jersey and scored a negative six in six games.
Evaluating Cholowski from such a small sample is a bit unfair, but he has been bounced between the AHL and the NHL throughout his career. Unless he is a very clear upgrade, NEMEC’s age, recent rise and draft form should give him an edge.
Additionally, the Devil is still in the playoffs when the push to push the Stanley Cup seems like a long player. Getting this experience in a tense moment can bring dividends to his future.
Trade value
The devil may still see Nemec as a trade chip for long-term travel. With Dougie Hamilton, Brett Pesce and Johnathan Kovacevic locked in the foreseeable future, it’s hard to see exactly what Nemec and Seamus Casey are right for the plan.
But Nemec’s numbers really can’t be obtained too much Worse More than before; giving him a chance to get back on track, which should help him with confidence and bring him back to the high-quality prospects that the relative fan base has been begging for. And, if he recovers his best self, perhaps in a world, the Devil has found a way to keep his future stuck in the cards.
Source link
