2022 NHL Entry Draft Mock: How Will the Board Fall?

Simon Nemec Prospect Profile

The Detroit Red Wings organization has a lot of budding defenseman, but after taking a look at some of the top names, it appears as though most of them are left-handed defenseman. So, with that, I figured I’d take a look at a right-handed defenseman that the Red Wings should consider a top target with their first-round pick.

There was a couple names that I’d like to mention, but the one that I’ve seen pop up the most in Red Wings mock drafts is defenseman, Simon Nemec.

Pro Scout Breakdown

"“This is where things start to get interesting for me. I debated all eight of the players in the three-to-10 range here in just about every order you can think of. But Nemec’s name was the one I kept coming back to, in part because the more I’ve watched him over the last couple of years, the harder it has become to nitpick his game in ways that I do the others in this next group. “Nemec is an all-situations defender who has played (and produced) at an advanced age-adjusted level for his position, across an extended period, at the pro level. This is a kid who has looked a class above his peers whenever he’s played with them, has held his own on the senior men’s international stage already, and is already an established pro defender who has provided value at both ends in his top domestic league. Nemec is a calculated and poised three-zone defender who is capable of organizing play from the top of the zone, executing through seams in coverage at a high level, and starting and leading his fair share of rushes. He also regularly flashes some sneaky deception, which blends beautifully with his rare maturity for his age. Though I wouldn’t say he’s a dynamic, game-breaking type offensively, I see plenty of assertiveness, he’s already got pro size, he plays a polished game, and it doesn’t hurt that he’s a righty. “I think he’s got a really good chance of becoming the best defenceman out of Slovakia since Zdeno Chara and a true No. 2 guy for a long time in the NHL.”"

My Analysis

The Detroit Red Wings organization has a lot of budding talent in their system, but if you were able to add Simon Nemec to the already long list of defenseman you have, the defense would be able to take a huge step up.

One of the biggest problems that the Red Wings have had over the past couple seasons is the lack of defense in front of the goalie. It led to a lot of bad games by both Alex Nedeljkovic and Thomas Greiss. Furthermore, the goalies were blamed even though the defense should be help accountable for their horrendous play. That’s why you need to get some better defenseman. I personally feel that Simon Nemec would be a good part to the solution.

Defensive Skill

Simon Nemec is a very good defenseman and has proven to be an incredibly skilled, patient defenseman while still remaining a very high IQ player. He shows consistently on film to have the defensive awareness to close gaps, when to press, when to give space, and when to make a hit. His game, for an 18 year old, is pretty impressive.

I take a look at some of the defenseman that have been drafted in the top 10 over the past couple seasons, and they show promise with a high ceiling, but they aren’t pro-ready. I feel that Nemec could be one of the defenseman that could go in day one and be a capable player for any organization due to his defensive ability but there is more to his game than that.

Offensive Skill

Nemec is a much more established defensive player in my opinion, but his offensive talent is not to be taken for granted. He does possess the tools to make him a threat in the offensive zone and on the power play.

This past season for his team in Slovakia, the HK Nitra, he was able to tally 25 assists in only 39 games. Which, for a defenseman is more than acceptable- it’s great.

Now, the concern with Nemec is the fact that he doesn’t score. Which, isn’t something that would drop his value much because he’s a defenseman. By that I mean, as a defenseman, I don’t expect you score. I expect you to stop the other team from scoring and act as a good puck mover when in transition. That’s what Nemec does.