Calgary Flames Sign Simon Nemec to Five-Year, $36.25 Million Contract

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

Acquisition Nemec, selected second overall in the 2022 draft, has played 159 combined NHL games and averaged roughly 19 minutes of ice time per game. Officials described the trade return as too strong to decline. A general manager said on a video call with reporters last week that the offer from Calgary prompted the decision to move forward.

The same official denied that Nemec had requested a trade.

The contract makes Nemec the Flames' highest-paid defenseman at $7.25 million annually. Calgary views him as a key addition while the team seeks to end a four-year playoff drought.