Simon Nemec isn't hiding how he feels about the New Jersey Devils anymore.
The 22-year-old defenseman, traded from New Jersey to the Calgary Flames, delivered a pointed message about his next chapter this week.
"I want to prove to everyone that New Jersey wasn't right," Nemec said, according to a report from Hockey Patrol.
That's a loaded line from a player once drafted second overall. Nemec never found the consistent role many expected after New Jersey took him that high.
He posted 26 points in 68 games this past season, with a minus-11 rating that reflects a rocky stretch under Sheldon Keefe's staff.
His final ten games in New Jersey were rough. Just one point and a minus-9 rating over that stretch, numbers that hint at why a fresh start made sense.
Now Nemec gets exactly that in Calgary, along with a chip on his shoulder that sounds anything but manufactured.
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Simon Nemec fires brutal parting shot at the Devils
For the Flames, this is a bet on upside from a player still just 22 years old. For Nemec, it clearly sounds personal.
Craig Conroy and Calgary's front office are gambling that a change of scenery unlocks something New Jersey couldn't. It's not a complicated bet, but it's not a safe one either.
Calgary finished last season near the bottom of the league standings, going 34-39-9 with a minus-47 goal differential. There's real room here for a young defenseman to grab minutes.
Ryan Huska will have every incentive to give Nemec that runway early, especially with a roster that has little to lose by taking chances on youth.
New Jersey, meanwhile, moves forward with Tom Fitzgerald's blue line looking different than the one many expected when Nemec was the shiny new pick.
Motivated athletes make for good storylines, but motivation alone doesn't fix ice time or usage. Calgary will need to actually give him the runway he's chasing.
Whether this becomes a real redemption arc or just an angry quote in a highlight reel depends entirely on what happens once puck drop hits in October.
Will Simon Nemec prove the Devils wrong with the Flames?
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