Nemec ready for 'new challenge' with Flames after trade from Devils

MUNICH -- Following an offseason of change Simon Nemec believes he needed, the 22-year-old defenseman is eager to get started on the new opportunity ahead of him with the Calgary Flames.

Nemec will travel from his native Slovakia to Calgary next week to prepare for the upcoming season with his new teammates after a trade that sent him to the Flames from the New Jersey Devils on June 23.

"It's a new challenge," Nemec said at the European Player Media Tour on Friday. "We're going to move from one side of North America to another side, but it's been exciting. I would say Canada is more like Slovakia, like the nature and everything, so we're excited to go there."

Nemec, the No. 2 pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, welcomed the news when he learned that he was traded, along with forward Maxim Tsyplakov, for conditional first-round picks in the 2027 NHL Draft and 2028 NHL Draft, a second-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft and defenseman prospect Etienne Morin. Although Nemec set NHL career highs with 11 goals and 26 points while averaging 19:40 in ice time in 68 games last season, he was unsatisfied with his role with New Jersey, which included limited time as the third option on the power-play point (1:14 per game) behind defensemen Dougie Hamilton (2:04) and Luke Hughes (2:01).

"I didn't ask for a trade, but there were some conversations that it didn't work out for me, for the team," Nemec said. "New Jersey got a new GM, and he decided to go this way and I'm totally fine with that."

In fact, dealing Nemec to the Flames was Sunny Mehta's first trade after being hired as Devils general manager to replace Tom Fitzgerald on April 16.

"I was happy," Nemec said. "It wasn't easy time in New Jersey and I was like, 'Finally, it was figured out.'"

Calgary was not among the teams that Nemec heard was interested in him, but he immediately saw it as a good fit. The Flames are rebuilding after going 34-39-9 to miss the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the fourth straight season, and Nemec believes he can be part of the solution.

A restricted free agent after completing his three-year, entry-level contract, Nemec signed a five-year, $36.25 million contact (average annual value of $7.25 million) with the Flames on July 6.

"That was a good spot for me, for the team," he said. "I feel like they need a player like me. I can play a lot of minutes there. I can be part of the future there and be one of the leaders of the team."

Nemec said he spoke with Flames coach Ryan Huska two or three times about his potential role and he's looking forward to showing what he can do in training camp.

"They know that I can play more, and I can be a better player with that," Nemec said. "So, (Huska) just told me to be prepared for this."

That includes the chance to skate more on the power play that Nemec coveted. He had one goal and one assist in his limited time on the man-advantage last season.

"I want to be on the No. 1 power play," Nemec said. "I think Calgary can offer me that. I need to fight for that, but I will be ready for it. … We were three guys in New Jersey. We all wanted to play first power play, and it didn't work well for me. I think in Calgary I can show that I can be a No. 1 power-play guy."

Nemec demonstrated his offensive skill by scoring 10 even-strength goals last season, which was most among Devils defensemen. His three overtime goals tied Evan Bouchard of the Edmonton Oilers for first in the NHL at his position and were one short of the single-season record by a defenseman shared by Shayne Gostisbehere (2015-16) and Scott Niedermayer (2001-02).

Nemec completed his first NHL hat trick with an overtime goal in a 4-3 victory against the Chicago Blackhawks on Nov. 12.

"Maybe luck, maybe some skill," Nemec said of his overtime success. "The 3-on-3 is always 50-50, but in New Jersey, we had unreal team (9-2 in overtime) … We just didn't give them the puck and if you have the puck, it's always easier. I was in great spots, and I found that spot and my teammates made a great plays and I just scored."

Nemec believes he also showed his potential playing for Slovakia at the 2026 Winter Olympics, where he had two assists in six games. Although disappointed that Slovakia finished fourth after winning its group during the preliminary round, Nemec took a positive perspective from playing in the first Olympics to include NHL players since the 2014 Sochi Games.

"That I can play against every guy in the world, and I can play good hockey against them," he said. "And also, that a small country like us, playing together and playing for something, we can do huge things. We almost won a bronze medal. At the end of the day, no one's going to ask who finished fourth, but now it's a good memory."

Nemec hopes those games against the best players in the world will help him as he tries to take the next step in his NHL career with the Flames.

"Maybe that's why Calgary traded for me because they watched the Olympics, and they saw like, 'This guy can do it and we can give him that opportunity,'" he said. "And I feel like now it's up to me how I'm going to handle it."