The New Jersey Devils are facing a monumental offseason dilemma, and Pierre LeBrun’s latest report in The Athletic just poured gasoline on the fire. According to LeBrun, the Devils have actively listened to trade offers for 22-year-old defenseman Simon Nemec. The asking price? A young, top-six impact forward. If you’ve been following the rumors since the NHL trade deadline, you already know exactly where this is heading: the San Jose Sharks.
Rumors swirled at the deadline that the Sharks offered dynamic forward William Eklund in a swap for Nemec. With the 2026 NHL Draft approaching, there is massive potential for this deal to be revisited. Nemec is wrapping up his entry-level contract and changing agents, signaling a tough negotiation ahead. For Devils fans and NHL insiders alike, the reality is setting in: New Jersey might have to sacrifice their blue-line future to secure the elite scoring winger they desperately crave. Here’s a deep dive into why this massive trade makes sense for both franchises.
Why Simon Nemec’s Contract Demands Complicate the Devils’ Offseason
As an NHL analyst, I look at the New Jersey Devils’ salary cap structure and immediately see the roadblocks. Nemec’s camp is reportedly pointing to his teammate Luke Hughes, who recently inked a massive seven-year, $9 million AAV extension, as a direct comparable. Paying two defensemen under the age of 24 nearly $18 million combined annually is a tough pill to swallow, especially when you factor in Dougie Hamilton.
Hamilton still has two years left on his own massive $9 million AAV deal. While logic dictates that moving the veteran Hamilton is the smarter long-term hockey trade, it’s practically impossible in today’s tight NHL economy. Teams simply aren’t eating aging, high-AAV contracts without major sweeteners attached. Therefore, the younger, cheaper, and highly coveted Simon Nemec becomes the collateral damage of a cap crunch. LeBrun is spot on: Nemec is far more movable, and the return would be franchise-altering.
Simon Nemec Career NHL Stats
| Type | GP | G | A | P | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regular Season | 155 | 16 | 33 | 49 | -28 |
| Playoffs | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
The San Jose Sharks and the William Eklund Trade Connection
This brings us to the San Jose Sharks. To pry a potential No. 1 right-shot defenseman out of New Jersey, you have to give up premium, NHL-ready talent. William Eklund perfectly fits the Devils’ demanding criteria for a top-six impact forward. For San Jose, securing a foundational defender like Nemec accelerates their rebuild exponentially. Right-shot defensemen with Nemec’s pedigree are the rarest commodity in the sport.
My take: If Devils General Manager Tom Fitzgerald can’t get a deal done in the summer, the value of Nemec might never be higher. He has to aggressively sell Nemec’s ceiling as a franchise pillar. Pairing Eklund’s elite playmaking and high-motor offensive instincts with Jack Hughes or Nico Hischier could create one of the most lethal top-six units in the Eastern Conference. Moving Nemec before he signs an exorbitant offer sheet or forces a lengthy holdout seems to be the most prudent path forward for New Jersey.
William Eklund Career NHL Stats
| Type | GP | G | A | P | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regular Season | 252 | 50 | 113 | 163 | -91 |
| Playoffs | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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