For years, the New Jersey Devils talked about Simon Nemec as a cornerstone of their future; a player with the poise, intelligence, and skating to anchor the right side of their blue line for the next decade. But this season, that vision has begun to materialize in real time. With numerous key defensemen sidelined with injuries (Johnathan Kovacevic, Dougie Hamilton, and Brett Pesce), Nemec has had the opportunity to consistently play at the NHL level. He’s excelled and developed into one of their most reliable blueliners and one of the Devils’ most impactful players.
Over the past week, Nemec has displayed a level of confidence and play-driving presence that firmly signals his arrival as a true top-pair defenseman. His growth had been evident early in the season, but his recent surge of clutch scoring has elevated him into one of the league’s hottest blueliners. With a hat trick and a shootout winner across his last two games, Nemec has quickly emerged as a dominant force around the NHL.
Yet his impact goes far beyond a brief scoring run. Nemec’s underlying numbers and elite playmaking put him in rare company, not just within the Devils organization, but across the league’s history.
Nemec’s History-Making Hat Trick
Nemec’s breakout reached its peak when he delivered one of the most memorable performances in Devils’ franchise history: a hat trick capped off with the overtime game-winner against the Chicago Blackhawks this past Wednesday (Nov. 12). It was a showing that instantly etched his name into multiple record books.
He became only the third defenseman in Devils history to record a hat trick, joining an incredibly short and exclusive list. But what makes his achievement even more extraordinary is how he completed it — sealing the trio of goals with an overtime winner. That finish made Nemec just the sixth player in Devils history to end a hat trick in overtime, regardless of position.
When zooming out to the league-wide context, the accomplishment becomes even more remarkable. Nemec became the youngest defenseman in NHL history to score both a hat trick and an overtime winner in the same game and only the ninth player in NHL history (amongst any position) to do so, including both the regular season and playoffs. He also became just the eighth defender in history to finish a hat trick with an overtime winner.
“He showed the forwards how to do it,” head coach Sheldon Keefe joked to the media after the team’s win against the Blackhawks on Nov. 12. “All three goals he’s in forward positioning, and finishing it. Good on him to find those spots and finish… very well deserved.”
A Franchise First for Nemec
Nemec’s hat trick also carried major significance within Devils history. He became the youngest defenseman in Devils team history to record a hat trick, and the second-youngest player overall in franchise history to accomplish the feat. His offensive explosion hasn’t just been rare; it’s been nearly unprecedented for a young blueliner in New Jersey.
With his overtime game-winning goal to complete the hat trick, Nemec became the youngest Devils player to record a hat trick since Dawson Mercer in 2023, the youngest Devils defensemen to record a multi-goal game since Damon Severson in 2014, and only the sixth blueliner in Devils history, 21 years old or younger, to record a multi-goal game.
These benchmarks highlight the bigger picture: Nemec isn’t simply breaking out. He’s joining a lineage of young Devils talent that has shaped the organization’s competitive identity.
Nemec: A Growing Clutch Factor
Nemec’s week of dominance didn’t stop with his historic hat trick. Just days earlier, he delivered a dramatic game-tying goal against the New York Islanders with only 4.7 seconds left on the clock, securing at least a point for New Jersey. It marked the fifth-latest game-tying goal in Devils history, and the latest since Travis Zajac’s last-second equalizer against the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2009.
Additionally, just days after his game-tying heroics and hat trick, Nemec delivered again — this time netting the shootout winner against the Washington Capitals on Saturday night. It was an unexpected but inspired decision by Keefe to send him out, and Nemec rewarded that trust by securing two critical points in a tight Metropolitan Division race.
“When Sheldon said I’m up, in my head I’m like, ‘I’ve got one move, so just go try it,’ and it worked,” Nemec told the media after the win.
And boy, was it a beauty.
SIMON NEMEC BACK TO BACK GAME WINNING GOALS FOR THE DEVILS 🤯🚨 pic.twitter.com/YXMVxnkfOH
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) November 16, 2025
For a young defenseman, being trusted in a shootout situation is already noteworthy. Scoring in that moment — and sealing a win — underscores just how much confidence the Devils coaching staff has in him and how much Nemec is earning it with his play.
A Complete Game Coming Together
While Nemec’s scoring explosion has understandably drawn headlines, it’s only part of the story. His growth this season has been driven by improvements across every layer of his game. His defensive reads have tightened noticeably. His puck retrievals, once occasionally hesitant, are now quick, decisive, and efficient. His skating — long considered his greatest tool — has become a weapon he uses to escape pressure, activate into the rush, or close gaps with maturity beyond his years. His breakout decisions are crisp. His ability to control tempo is emerging. And perhaps most importantly, Nemec is confident.
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He currently holds a plus-5 rating, is averaging more than 18 minutes of ice time per game, and has topped 25 minutes in each of his last four outings. His defensive contributions continue to stand out as well, with 27 blocked shots, along with three hits and four takeaways. And while there’s still room for growth in his puck management — he’s logged 16 giveaways — Nemec’s overall game has taken a significant leap forward. His ability to handle tougher minutes, drive possession, and make an impact at both ends of the ice has cemented him as one of the Devils’ most reliable defenders.
The Devils’ Future Is Nemec
For New Jersey, a team built around a young core, Nemec’s rise couldn’t come at a better time. With injuries, lineup changes, and the natural volatility of an NHL season, having a young defenseman elevate his play to this level is season-changing and, potentially, franchise-changing.
The Devils always believed Nemec would eventually become a top-pair, all-situations defenseman. But now he’s showing it. He’s not just holding his own. He’s driving play. He’s dictating games. He’s delivering in the clutch. And he’s rewriting record books along the way.
By every measure, Nemec is playing the best hockey he’s ever played — and if this is only the beginning, the Devils’ blue line and future are in excellent hands. The challenge ahead? Figuring out how to align a fully healthy defense roster when Nemec is forcing his way into a permanent, elevated role.
