Boston Bruins
Simon Nemec was the second-overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft.
Simon Nemec represented Slovakia during the 2026 Winter Olympics. Photo by Elsa/Getty Images
May 28, 2026 | 7:56 AM
3 minutes to read
A top-four, right-shot defenseman stands near the top of Don Sweeney’s offseason to-do list.
How the Bruins actually go out and acquire said asset is a task easier said than done.
Signing a veteran like Rasmus Andersson or Darren Raddysh would seemingly shore up a D corps prone to coughing up Grade-A chances the last couple of seasons — while also injecting a bit more scoring punch and puck-moving capabilities into that segment of the roster.
But a Bruins team already hindered by one increasingly onerous contract in Elias Lindholm’s would invite a lot more risk doling out a seven-year deal to a 30-year-old in Raddysh or a 29-year-old Andersson — especially with their expected annual cap hits expected to hover between $7.5 – 9.5 million per year.
As such, a trade might be the most logical route for Boston — especially if the Bruins want to take a swing on a younger blueliner with room to grow.
While 22-year-old Ducks blueliner Olen Zellweger stands as an intriguing target given his skating ability and untapped potential, he’s also a left-shot option — better suited to more of a complementary role alongside a player like Charlie McAvoy.
But on the right side, a player like Devils blueliner Simon Nemec could be cut from a similar cloth – giving Boston a high-upside talent who could develop into a lineup stalwart if given an extended runway to develop.
The second-overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, Nemec was selected by New Jersey as a potential top-pairing fixture whose offensive talents would complement a fast-paced, uber-skilled roster anchored by Jack Hughes.
That hasn’t played out for both Nemec and the Devils to this point, with the Slovakian-born defenseman appearing in 155 games over the past three seasons in the NHL.
Despite setting a new career-high with 11 goals and 26 points over 68 games in 2025-26, Nemec struggled to carve out a regular role on Sheldon Keefe’s depth chart this past season, while his status as a pending restricted free agent further complicates matters as the Devils stare at an eventful offseason.
Nemec, who also spent parts of two seasons with New Jersey’s AHL affiliate in Utica, New York, could be looking for a change of scenery — especially with a team that could carve out more minutes for him moving forward.
There have been conflicting reports over Nemec’s future with the Devils and whether or not the 22-year-old skater requested a trade earlier this offseason, with Slovakian NHL writer Tomas Prokop shutting down a story that Nemec asked out of New Jersey.
It remains to be seen if new Devils GM Sunny Mehta will actually entertain dealing away Nemec, or opt to sign him to a bridge deal and try to extract more playmaking talent out of a promising — albeit unproven — defenseman moving forward.
But if Mehta and the Devils are taking offers, the Bruins should join what should be a sizable list of suitors for the young blueliner.
Even though Nemec isn’t exactly an imposing figure at 6-foot-1 and 190 pounds, he’d fill a need on Boston’s roster when it comes to offensive skill on defense.
He’s not exactly a burner in terms of straight-line speed, with NHL Edge tracking data tabbing him with just 18 instances of skating bursts between 20-22 miles per hour this past year (below the 50th percentile in the league).
But Nemec has a heavy shot that can either beat goalies clean or can generate havoc via tips, rebounds, and second-chance bids as he sails into traffic — while his creativity with the puck on his stick could make him a potential power-play fixture if given more of an opportunity moving forward.
Even if the Bruins are inviting plenty of risk if they pivot and choose to sign a pricey free agent like Raddysh or Andersson, Nemec is also a significant gamble.
Boston is banking more on upside than proven results for a player like Nemec, which could lead to disaster if the Bruins pay a steep price for a blueliner who — despite his lofty draft pedigree — might be more of a flawed, third-pairing regular than a budding franchise defenseman.
But if the Bruins are looking to get creative this offseason in hopes of identifying franchise fixtures to build around this core, distressed assets like Nemec and Zellweger stand as the type of targets that Boston should be setting its sights on if they want to make a bold move or two.
Conor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023.
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