Devils trade Nemec to Flames, add two number ones

      Days before the NHL Draft, the new general manager of the New Jersey Devils, Sunny Mehta, made his first trade, and it's a very interesting move that dealt from the team's deepest position with the bonus of adding future draft capital.

New Jersey traded defenseman Simon Nemec and winger Maxim Tsyplakov to the Calgary Flames for two future first-round draft picks, a second-rounder in Friday's draft, and minor league defenseman Etienne Morin.

Nemec is coming off his best season with New Jersey since being selected second overall by the Devils in the 2022 draft, scoring eleven goals with fifteen assists, and at only twenty-two, the Devils could be selling low on Nemec.

New Jersey has already spent money on locking up Luke Hughes in the defensive corps, and Nemec will be a restricted free agent at the end of the season, so it does make sense that Nemec was the most valued member of the group.

New Jersey will also have their top pick in 2024, Anton Silayev, available for the upcoming season, so despite Nemec's talent, the Devils may have been smart to move him now.

Maxim Tsyplakov is a toss-in in the trade after splitting last season between the Islanders and Devils, scoring two goals with two assists in forty-nine combined games.

New Jersey will be receiving a first-round pick in 2027 (originally property of Las Vegas) and a first-round pick in 2028 (originally Colorado's) and the Islanders' second-rounder in this year's draft.

Both first-rounders are top-ten protected.

The Devils now own five first-rounders in the next three drafts, so Sunny Mehta could have some ammo to add a forward to their top six.

Etienne Morin scored one goal with six assists for the Calgary Wranglers, the Flames' AHL affiliate, last season, and at twenty-one, still can be considered a prospect.