The New Jersey Devils front office initiated contract discussions with restricted free agent defenseman Simon Nemec on Thursday, May 21, 2026, pushing back against European media reports that the young blue-liner had formally requested an immediate trade.
Reports from Slovakian outlet Denník, by Simon Chop and Stefan Bufan, alleged that Nemec sought a move away from New Jersey because newly appointed General Manager Sunny Mehta had not contacted the player or his representative, Craig Oster.
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However, James Nichols of New Jersey Hockey Now reported that team sources confirmed Mehta has already begun contract talks with Nemec, contradicting the claims of a communication breakdown.
Misunderstanding Clarified
A similar translation misunderstanding occurred with Nemec during the previous offseason, which the former second-overall draft pick later clarified by stating he had no intention of leaving the Devils franchise.
The Slovakian defenseman expressed long-term commitment to the organization during his recent end-of-season media availability session prior to the management change.
"I'd love to sign here," Nemec said.
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Nemec assumed an expanded role and increased ice time this past season following a long-term injury to teammate Luke Hughes.
He registered 11 goals and 26 points across 68 games while averaging 19:40 of ice time per contest.
The club finished the season with a 42-37-3 record under head coach Sheldon Keefe and holds the 10th-best team CorsiFor metric in the league at 52.0 percent, which helped Nemec improve his overall possession statistics.
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While the Devils hold a strong bargaining position with the high-demand right-handed shooting defenseman, the front office is actively searching for a top-six forward, specifically a right winger, making Nemec a valuable trade asset if management explores external options.
