Devils take defenseman Simon Nemec No. 2 overall in 2022 NHL Entry Draft

It’s a clean sweep of the top two spots for Slovakia. After watching Juraj Slafkovsky go first overall, the New Jersey Devils strode to the podium and picked countryman Simon Nemec second, grabbing the defenseman they so desperately wanted.

If you wanted to pick a defenseman that screamed “modern hockey” it is Nemec, who floats around the ice creating offense whenever he touches the puck. Already a star in the Slovakian league, he represents that top-pairing, right-handed shot defenseman that is so highly sought after in the NHL.

Another member of the bronze medal-winning Slovakian Olympic team, and this year’s World Championship club, Nemec is closer to the NHL than most defensemen drafted out of Europe. He’s already proven his skill at a high level and could step into the league within just a few years.

In New Jersey, he’ll join a group of talented young players that is growing quickly and will help make the organization an interesting contender down the road.