Key Highlights
- The New Jersey Devils have a surplus of defensemen on their roster.
- Johnathan Kovacevic seized an opportunity during last fall’s training camp and is now a key player for the team.
- S Simon Nemec was given a chance in the 2024-25 season but struggled due to an injury from the Olympic qualifier match.
- Nemec’s confidence and game turned around towards the end of the season, leading him to make a mark in the playoffs.
The Devil’s Defensemen Dilemma
The New Jersey Devils, one of the NHL’s storied franchises, find themselves in an interesting predicament. Last fall, Johnathan Kovacevic emerged as a key player despite being initially seen as only a depth piece. Kovacevic’s rise to prominence was a direct result of an injury during training camp last September that left Brett Pesce and Luke Hughes sidelined for the start of the 2024-25 season.
Kovacevic, who was drafted in the second round in 2016, had been considered more as a depth player.
However, his performance last season solidified his position on the blueline. He formed one of the best shutdown pairs alongside Jonas Siegenthaler and quickly established himself as a reliable defenseman.
Simon Nemec’s Struggles
Despite the Devils’ defensive depth, Simon Nemec faced challenges early in the 2024-25 season. The young Slovakian defenseman was injured during an Olympic qualifier match for Slovakia in August 2024 and came into training camp last fall dealing with residual effects from this injury. This left him struggling to find his form when he started the regular season.
“Yeah, I was dealing with my confidence,” Nemec admitted in February 2025 during an interview with New Jersey Hockey Now. “It’s hard to get the confidence in the NHL if you’re hurt, and then you’re not playing, obviously, the big minutes, on the power play, and all that stuff.”
Nemec’s situation became even more complicated as he was reassigned to the American Hockey League (AHL) to polish his game.
However, his time in the AHL did not bring about the expected improvement. Despite these setbacks, Nemec’s game began to show signs of improvement towards the end of the regular season and into the playoffs.
A Second Chance
As Kovacevic is set to be sidelined for the beginning of the 2025-26 season due to injury, Simon Nemec sees an opportunity to reclaim his spot on the Devils’ roster. The competition among defensemen in New Jersey is fierce, but Nemec’s recent performances and the encouragement from head coach Sheldon Keefe provide him with a chance to establish himself as a full-time player.
“Watching him the last few games of the regular season, and obviously the playoffs, you just saw the upside,” said Tom Fitzgerald, the New Jersey Devils’ general manager. “You saw what he can be. But it’s up to him right now.
He’s got a huge offseason. He’s not going to worlds; he’s conditioning, and his off-ice training will start soon. We’ll monitor that from here, and have people over there visiting him, but it was very encouraging. So we’re real happy for him.”
The opportunity is there for Nemec, who needs to capitalize on it if he wants to secure a spot in the Devils’ lineup for the upcoming season.
