The New Jersey Devils have traded defenseman Šimon Nemec to the Calgary Flames, the team announced Tuesday.

In return, the Devils received two first-round picks — via the Vegas Golden Knights in 2027 and the Colorado Avalanche in 2028 — both of which are top-10 protected. They also landed a 2026 second-round pick, via the New York Rangers, and 21-year-old prospect defenseman Etienne Morin.

Along with Nemec, the Flames received veteran winger Maxim Tsyplakov, who had two goals and two assists across 49 games with the Devils and New York Islanders last season.

Nemec debuted in 2023-24, averaging 19:52 per night in 60 games. He had a difficult 2024-25, playing only 27 regular-season games at the NHL level, but scored an overtime winner in the playoffs: the peak of his New Jersey tenure. This season, Nemec set career highs in both goals (11) and points (26).

The No. 2 pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, Nemec played 155 games for the Devils, plus four more in the playoffs. He was drafted by previous general manager Tom Fitzgerald, who was fired in April. Trading Nemec is one of the first major moves made by Fitzgerald’s successor, Sunny Mehta.

New Jersey has multiple defensemen under contract beyond this year, including 22-year-old Luke Hughes, who signed a seven-year contract before this season. Nemec is a restricted free agent, and Fitzgerald took calls on him during the season. Mehta capitalized on continued interest rather than paying him a big-money extension he was likely seeking.

According to The Athletic’s Chris Johnston, the Flames do not have an extension in place with Nemec as part of the trade.

How the Flames landed Nemec

For years, Flames GM Craig Conroy clamored for NHL talent between the ages of 18 and 23 who could help his squad right away. He gets that in the 22-year-old Nemec, who has also desired more playing opportunities. It’s a potential match made in heaven for both sides.

Nemec has great mobility and skills at both ends of the ice with an emphasis on offense, checking off a ton of boxes for an offense-deficient Flames team. If Nemec played last season with Calgary, his 26 points would’ve been the second-most among its defensemen behind Rasmus Andersson, who was traded partway through the 2025-26 campaign.

Fortunately for the Flames, their surplus of draft picks helped put this trade together. They obtained selections from Vegas and Colorado in recent trades, and in Morin, offloaded a young player who had fallen behind their glut of defensive prospects. Calgary needs skaters who can help them now and in the future. And having the No. 2 pick from the 2022 NHL Draft is a good start.

The Flames also add a body in Tsyplakov, who has underwhelmed in recent seasons but perhaps could carve out an opportunity in a low-stakes environment while providing depth. If Tsyplakov shows any progression in Calgary, the 2027 UFA could easily be shipped away for a pick at the trade deadline. That, however, is if he shows something. Regardless, Nemec is the prize of this trade for the Flames. — McKenzie

What’s next for the Devils

Along with Hughes, the Devils have Dougie Hamilton, Brett Pesce, Brenden Dillon, Jonas Siegenthaler and Johnathan Kovacevic under contract, as well as prospect Seamus Casey, who has made his NHL debut. New Jersey also signed top prospect Anton Silayev, the No. 10 pick in 2024, this summer. So by dealing Nemec, Mehta is trading from a position of strength.

The deal could age poorly if Nemec turns into an elite top-pair defenseman — the goal for a player drafted with the second pick — but the Devils clearly saw enough to feel some hesitancy that that would happen. Nemec, who represented Slovakia at the past two Olympics and won a bronze medal in 2022, had a -4.8 Net Rating (+.2 on offense and -5.0 on defense) this season, per colleague Dom Luszczyszyn’s model.

Now armed with five first-rounders in the next three years, the Devils can make swings for NHL players who can potentially bolster the team’s top-six forward group. Mehta has approximately $13.1 million in cap space, per PuckPedia.

Calgary’s second-round pick is also an attractive piece. Originally owned by New York at No. 35 overall, it is either for the Devils to use themselves or trade in a future move. — Baugh