The Calgary Flames have locked down their newest acquisition for the foreseeable future.
Defenceman Simon Nemec signed a five-year, $36.25 million contract with the Flames, the team announced on Monday. The deal carries an AAV of $7.25 million.
"The one thing we always thought, talking to the player and to the agent, they wanted to do it and get in Calgary, and he wants to be a big part of it," Flames GM Craig Conroy said of the Nemec deal on Sportsnet 960's Flames Talk. "That's huge for us, to get it done now and put it behind us is nice. We can take a deep breath here and get ready for the rest of summer."
Conroy also explained that Nemec will have a 10-team no-trade clause in the fifth and final year of the deal.
The Flames acquired the 22-year-old from the New Jersey Devils in exchange for two conditional first-round picks, a 2026 second-rounder and prospect Etienne Morin on June 23.
The Slovakian scored 11 goals, had 15 assists and was minus-11 in 68 games for the Devils this past season.
"I think he's going to play both special teams and he's just going to play big minutes," Conroy said when asked how Nemec's role with the Flames would differ from his one with the Devils. "... We're going to be able to give him more playing time in every situation. Where in New Jersey, they had a couple other players that were maybe right in his area, and they took a little bit away from him."
Conroy said his first thought was to pair Nemec with Kevin Bahl, as the two played together for a brief time with the Devils.
The six-foot-one, 190-pound player was selected second overall by the Devils in 2022, which made him the highest Slovak defenceman ever drafted.
In 155 career NHL games, Nemec has 16 goals and 49 points.
— With files from Canadian Press
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