Simon Nemec’s move to Calgary comes with a clear edge to it. He didn’t force his way out of New Jersey, but he isn’t hiding how he feels about the fit either.
By his own account, things never really took hold with the Devils, and once a new general manager arrived, the situation started heading toward an exit. Now the Flames have handed him a fresh start, and Nemec is making it plain that he wants to show New Jersey it was the wrong place for him.
Calgary is betting big on that rebound. The price to land Nemec was steep: multiple first-round picks, a second-round pick and a prospect.
That kind of package says the Flames view him as more than a short-term fix. Ryan Huska has already pointed to a larger role, and Nemec is aiming for top power-play time, something he never truly got a crack at in New Jersey because three players were crowding the same spot.
For a team trying to build forward, that gives this deal a real sense of purpose.
Toronto, meanwhile, is staring at a familiar problem with a new wrinkle. The offence can look overwhelming when Matthews is healthy and driving the attack, but the drop-off is obvious when he isn’t carrying things.
The team’s intriguing prospect, Gavin McKenna, doesn’t project as the kind of pure finisher who can solve that issue. He’s more of a creator than a sniper, and Toronto still doesn’t have enough of the latter.
That matters because the Maple Leafs have not been in the habit of drafting high, and plenty of picks have already been moved out in the push to win now. The pipeline isn’t barren, but it also doesn’t seem to have the answer to one basic question: who scores when Matthews doesn’t? At some point, Chayka may need to go shopping for a true goal scorer who isn’t Matthews.
In Edmonton, the biggest factor in Mike Babcock’s success may not be a star player at all. It may be associate coach D.J.
Smith. Babcock’s past has followed him for a reason, with players such as Mitch Marner and Johan Franzen speaking about how far he pushed them.
That’s the concern now: that the same thing could happen with the Oilers.
Smith’s role is to keep that from happening. Edmonton wants a hard-driving season and has made that much clear, but the line between demanding and destructive still matters.
If Smith can step in before Babcock goes too far, the setup could work. It’s a fascinating structure: bring in a coach known for intensity, then install a buffer whose job is to keep the whole thing from tipping over.
In Other News...
Oilers Goaltending Depth Just Created A Problem They Cant Ignore
Goaltending depth is supposed to be a good problem, but this one is starting to look more like a bottleneck. Stan Bowmans move to bring Matt Tomkins into the Bakersfield Condors mix came after a solid AHL showing, and on paper it gave Edmonton another experienced option in the pipeline. In practice, it has added another body to a crease that already needs innings for younger goalies trying to push their way up.
Samuel Ungar and Samuel Jonsson are the names most affected here, because their development depends on getting heavier AHL work, not just spot duty. With Tomkins in the picture, those reps become harder to come by, and that makes the organizations next move worth watching. If Edmonton wants to keep its goaltending pipeline moving, it may eventually have to decide whether Tomkins is helping the depth chart or slowing it down. [Read more 🡒]
Oilers Goalie Prospect Rumour Just Changed A Crowded Pipeline Conversation
Rumors about Samuel Jonsson heading back to Sweden for the upcoming season had started to swirl, but the picture around the Oilers goalie prospect now looks much clearer. Edmonton insider Bob Stauffer pushed back on that chatter, and for a prospect who is already viewed as one of the organizations better young netminders, the expectation is that his development path will stay on this side of the Atlantic.
Jonsson, a former fifth-round pick, spent last season in the ECHL and remains part of a crowded goaltending pipeline below the NHL level. With several prospects already signed into the system, the Oilers are juggling more than just talent evaluation here, since where Jonsson lands next becomes part of a larger depth-chart conversation in a position group that never has much room for error. [Read more 🡒]
Leon Draisaitl Explains Why Oilers Backed This Risky Coaching Reset
Before Mike Babcock was hired as head coach, Edmontons key players, including Leon Draisaitl, sat down with him for an open and honest conversation about where the team was headed and what it needed from its next coach. It was the kind of meeting that told you plenty about how the Oilers approached the decision: no guesswork, no polish, just a direct look at whether the fit made sense for a group that has been trying to get itself back on track.
Draisaitl said Babcock moved quickly to earn the leadership groups support, and the expectation now is that the tone around the team is going to change. After time away from NHL coaching, Babcock has a chance to show his methods still travel, while Edmonton is betting that a more demanding voice can help push a talented roster through the kind of recent struggles that have hung over the season. [Read more 🡒]