While the Philadelphia Flyers may need to make an upgrade on defense this summer and find a power play quarterback while doing it, there are certain traps they must avoid to ensure a clean operation.
One of those traps happens to be a former No. 2 overall pick who is a pending restricted free agent seeking a big payday on his next contract.
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In recent weeks and months, it has been reported multiple times that top New Jersey Devils prospect Simon Nemec is looking for a deal comparable to that of Luke Hughes, who inked a seven-year, $63 million contract that comes with a $9 million annual cap hit.
The problem, though, is that Hughes had recorded 40 or more points in each of his first two NHL seasons, and might have done it again this year had he not missed 14 games due to injuries.
Nemec, 22, shows flashes at times, but just played his first full-ish NHL season and scored 11 goals and 26 points in 68 games – a slight improvement on a 19-point campaign in 2023-24.
On paper, the Flyers adding Nemec makes some sense, since they need a power play shot-caller and some young talent.
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It would have made more sense, though, if they hadn’t already traded Bobby Brink for David Jiricek at the NHL trade deadline two months ago and then follow that up with having Oliver Bonk make his playoff debut against the Carolina Hurricanes to end the season.
Simon Nemec does a lot of things well, and a lot of things very poorly. (Hockeystats.com)
Between Jamie Drysdale, Bonk, Jiricek, Spencer Gill, Carter Amico, and Rasmus Ristolainen, for as long as he remains in Philadelphia, the Flyers have no reason to make such a risky play for an RFA, be it through trade or through offer sheet.
The Flyers have taken their fair share of licks over the last two seasons over Matvei Michkov‘s playing time and usage, and Nemec has been a similar story in Newark with the Devils.
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Couple that with constant rumors of trade requests, a gaudy contract demand, and a level of play that doesn’t currently warrant that contract, and the Flyers could easily get themselves in trouble.
Nemec does a lot of things well, to be clear. He has a good feel for the ice and where his teammates are, improved significantly at using his legs to kill plays on the rush, and is quietly a wizard at exiting his own zone and entering the opposing end with his skating.
He does, however, struggle to play with urgency, win pucks, and break pucks out cleanly from his own end.
After a successful season that ended with a two-round playoff run, do the Flyers have the patience to take on another project in addition to Drysdale, who is now finally coming into his own after three years, and Jiricek?
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This is a move that would have made plenty of sense before the Flyers pried Jiricek out of Minnesota, but it now carries too much risk and baggage that could very well outweigh even the median outcome of Nemec’s development.
