The Calgary Flames didn’t just acquire Simon Nemec in a trade last month. They locked him up for the long haul.
On Monday, the Flames signed the 22-year-old defenseman to a five-year contract worth $36.25 million. That’s a $7.25 million cap hit per season. A nice payday for a guy who hasn’t even played 160 NHL games yet.
Nemec arrived in Calgary alongside forward Maxim Tsyplakov, shipped out of New Jersey in a deal that sent prospect Etienne Morin and a haul of premium draft picks the other way. We’re talking top-10 protected first-rounders in 2027 and 2028, plus a second-rounder in 2026. The Devils clearly saw a chance to reload their pipeline and took it.
A Fresh Start Out West
Nemec didn’t seem heartbroken about leaving New Jersey. He told NHL.com shortly after the trade that he saw Calgary as a perfect fit.
“I expected something (to) happen; I’m pretty excited to join Calgary,” he said. “It’s a good young team. … I think it can be a really good spot for me, so I’m really happy.”
He’s not wrong. The Flames are in the middle of a retool, with a young core that includes the likes of Connor Zary and Matthew Coronato. Adding a top-pairing caliber defenseman like Nemec — at least that’s the hope — could accelerate things.
The Numbers So Far
Nemec was the second overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, a product of HK Nitra in Slovakia. He came over to North America, spent time with the Utica Comets in the AHL, then cracked the Devils roster full-time in 2023-24.
That first season: 60 games, three goals, 16 assists. Decent for a rookie defenseman. But this past season, he took a real step forward. He played 68 games, scored 11 goals, and put up 26 points. All career highs. For his career, across 153 games, he’s got 16 goals and 33 assists. He also got a taste of playoff hockey in 2025 — four games, a goal, and an assist.
Flames GM Craig Conroy is betting that’s just the beginning. And at $7.25 million per year, the pressure is on Nemec to produce like a legitimate top-pairing guy. If he does, this deal will look like a steal. If he doesn’t, well, that cap hit could get uncomfortable.
But for now, Calgary has its guy. And Nemec has his money.
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