Calgary Flames acquire defenseman Simon Nemec from New Jersey in five-year, $36.25 million deal

The Calgary Flames signed defenseman Simon Nemec to a five-year contract worth $36.25 million on Monday, ESPN reported. Nemec will count $7.25 million against the salary cap through the 2030-31 NHL season. Calgary acquired Nemec's rights and winger Maxim Tsyplakov from New Jersey last month for a second-round pick this year, two conditional first-rounders and prospect Etienne Morin.

Nemec, selected second overall by the Devils in the 2022 draft, has skated in 159 combined NHL games and averaged roughly 19 minutes of ice time per game. Devils general manager Sunny Mehta said on a video call with reporters last week that the return from Calgary was too good to pass up.

"They kind of stepped up with their offer to get him, and I just thought it was the right thing for the organization to move on," Mehta said.

Mehta denied that Nemec requested a trade. He said a candid conversation led him to conclude that a fresh start elsewhere would benefit the 22-year-old Slovak. "He just wants a path," Mehta said.