Šimon Nemec

Šimon Nemec (born 15 February 2004) is a Slovak professional ice hockey player who is a defenceman for the Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted second overall by the New Jersey Devils in the 2022 NHL entry draft, the second of back-to-back Slovak selections and the two highest-drafted Slovaks of all time and made his NHL debut with the Devils in 2023.

Playing career

HK Nitra Nemec was born in Liptovský Mikuláš, Slovakia, and played youth hockey for the local club, MHk 32 Liptovský Mikuláš. Nemec began playing at the highest level in Slovak hockey, Tipos Extraliga, starting in the 2019–20 season at the age of 15 with HK Nitra. In his 2019–20 season, he split his time between Tipos Extraliga, Slovak 2. Liga and Slovakia national junior team. After the conclusion of the season, in league play, he solely played in Tipos Extraliga.

Nemec was selected fourth overall by the Cape Breton Eagles in the 2021 Canadian Hockey League (CHL) import draft, but he elected instead to play his draft-eligible season in Slovakia.

Going into his draft year, Nemec improved his game and recorded one goal and 25 assists for 26 points in 39 games for HK Nitra in the 2021–22 Slovak Extraliga season. In the playoffs, he recorded five goals and 12 assists for 17 points in 19 games, taking his team to the finals, where HK Nitra lost in six games to HC Slovan Bratislava.

New Jersey Devils (2023–2026)

Following the 2021–22 Slovak Extraliga season, Nemec was seen as one of the top defensive prospects heading into the 2022 NHL entry draft and debated alongside Czech David Jiříček as the defenceman to be taken first. Throughout the year, multiple scouts considered him a top five selection. On 7 July 2022, he was selected second overall by the New Jersey Devils, after fellow countryman Juraj Slafkovský was selected first overall by the Montreal Canadiens, thus becoming the two highest drafted Slovak-born players in the NHL entry draft history. It was only the second time in history that a single European nation had the top two selections in the draft, after Russia in 2004. On 14 July, Nemec signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Devils.

Nemec made the move to North America for the 2022–23 season, spending the entirety of the campaign with the Devils' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Utica Comets, and recording 12 goals and 22 assists in 65 games.

On 1 December 2023, the Devils recalled Nemec. He made his NHL debut that night, recording two assists in a 6–3 loss to the San Jose Sharks. He scored his first NHL goal on 7 December, the game-winner in a 2–1 victory over the Seattle Kraken. On 25 April 2025, during the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs, Nemec scored the game-winning goal in the second overtime of game three in the Devils' first-round series against the Carolina Hurricanes.

Nemec recorded his first career hat trick and recorded the overtime game-winner in a 4–3 victory against the Chicago Blackhawks on 12 November 2025, becoming the youngest defenseman in NHL history to score a hat trick and an overtime winner in the same game.

Calgary Flames (2026–present) On 23 June 2026, Nemec, along with Maxim Tsyplakov, was traded to the Calgary Flames in exchange for two conditional first-round picks, a 2026 second-round pick and prospect Étienne Morin. As a restricted free agent, Nemec was later signed to a five-year, $36.25 million contract extension with the Flames on 6 July.

International play

Nemec participated as part of Slovakia junior team in the 2021 World Junior Championships, leading the team in scoring with four points and being named one of his team's top three players. He then made his senior IIHF international debut as part of the national senior team at the 2021 World Championship. Later in 2021 he served as Slovakia under-18 team's captain at the 2021 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, leading the team to a silver medal. He was voted most valuable player of the tournament, recording one goal and five assists for six points in five games.

After participating in the aborted 2022 World Junior Championships, cancelled as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Nemec was named to the Slovak squad for the 2022 Winter Olympics. He was one of three teenagers on the team, alongside fellow defenceman Samuel Kňažko and forward Juraj Slafkovský. He finished the tournament with an assist in seven games as Slovakia won the bronze medal game against Sweden, their first-ever Olympic medal in ice hockey. In his second outing of the year with the senior team at the 2022 World Championship, Nemec lead all Slovak defencemen in scoring with one goal and five assists in eight games.

Personal life Nemec's younger brother, Adam, is also an ice hockey player.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs Regular seasonPlayoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 2017–18 MHk 32 Liptovský Mikuláš SVK U18 44 5 16 21 18 7 0 1 1 6 2018–19 MHk 32 Liptovský Mikuláš SVK U18 52 10 25 35 78 — — — — — 2019–20 Team Slovakia U18 SVK U20 12 3 4 7 2 — — — — — 2019–20 Team Slovakia U18 SVK.2 16 1 3 4 12 — — — — — 2019–20 HK Nitra SVK U20 13 3 5 8 4 — — — — — 2019–20 HK Nitra SVK 12 0 3 3 0 — — — — — 2019–20 HK Levice SVK.2 4 1 3 4 6 — — — — — 2020–21 HK Nitra SVK 37 2 17 19 12 5 0 0 0 0 2021–22 HK Nitra SVK 39 1 25 26 20 19 5 12 17 14 2022–23 Utica Comets AHL 65 12 22 34 20 6 1 3 4 0 2023–24 Utica Comets AHL 13 2 6 8 6 — — — — — 2023–24 New Jersey Devils NHL 60 3 16 19 33 — — — — — 2024–25 New Jersey Devils NHL 27 2 2 4 14 4 1 1 2 2 2024–25 Utica Comets AHL 34 5 18 23 12 — — — — — 2025–26 New Jersey Devils NHL 68 11 15 26 26 — — — — —NHL totals 153 16 33 49 73 4 1 1 2 2

International