Every year, the New Jersey Devils have players making their NHL debuts. Over the past few seasons, it seems more and more players are making their debuts. Whether it be the laundry list of injuries or the fact that they are out of the playoff race by the Chinese New Year, the Devils are giving multiple players their chance to take their first faceoff under the bright lights.
Last year, 41 players dressed for at least one game with the Devils. Of those, eight made their NHL debut. That includes Dawson Mercer who played all 82 games with the Devils. It also includes highly-touted prospects Reilly Walsh and Alex Holtz. This also includes Mason Geertsen, who joined the Devils after he was claimed off waivers at the end of training camp and played 25 games with the Devils.
This season, the Devils have a more established lineup. The hope is that fewer and fewer players will make their debut. However, things happen. Every team deals with injuries. The Devils might just want to change the lineup up with a new, fresh face. Either way, we’re going to see some players make their NHL debut with the Devils this season.
New Jersey Devils defenseman Simon Nemec (5): Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports
Simon Nemec
This one seems like a formality. The Devils still have Nemec with the main roster as of this writing. The reigning second-overall pick was given every possible chance to make the final roster.
He probably won’t. The Devils are pretty stacked on the right side of the defense with Damon Severson, Dougie Hamilton, and John Marino. However, one injury likely leads to the debut of Nemec.
The 18-year-old defenseman will likely gain a lot from a stint in the American Hockey League. He’ll also gain a lot from a short stint in the NHL, whenever that ends up happening. As long as Nemec stays healthy, it seems pretty certain we’ll see him in New Jersey at some point.