Overview
- On May 21, a Slovak report from Denník said defenseman Simon Nemec formally requested a trade from the New Jersey Devils.
- Hours later New Jersey Hockey Now published sources saying new general manager Sunny Mehta has already contacted Nemec and his agent, directly contradicting Denník’s claim that Mehta had not reached out.
- Neither the Devils organization nor Nemec’s agent had issued an on-the-record response to the conflicting reports at the time of publication.
- Nemec finished the 2025–26 season with 11 goals and 26 points in 68 games while averaging about 19 minutes and 40 seconds a night, a performance that raised his trade value as a right-shot defenseman.
- The story carries context from February 2025 when a translation error produced a false exit-rumor and from Nemec’s recent comments that he would like to re-sign with New Jersey, which together mean the club’s summer decisions and Mehta’s outreach will shape whether Nemec stays or becomes a trade chip.