Nemec collided awkwardly with the boards during a puck battle on Saturday and did not return to the game. James Nichols from New Jersey Hockey Now reported that “Slovak doctors say nothing is broken or dislocated for Nemec.”
It is still unclear if he will be healthy enough — or even permitted by the Devils — to continue playing for Slovakia.
Here’s the Nemec injury.
EDIT: Now he’s gone down the tunnel with 7:33 left in the second.#NJDevils https://t.co/JZHnsZ4JtU pic.twitter.com/3SUK4eVYgf
— Daniel Amoia (@daniel_amoia) August 30, 2024
The 20-year-old defenseman is anticipated to be a regular in New Jersey’s lineup this season, even with the offseason additions of veterans Brett Pesce and Brenden Dillon, along with the return of All-Star Dougie Hamilton.
Hamilton’s season-ending torn pectoral injury allowed Nemec to appear in 60 games as a rookie last season. The No. 2 overall pick in the 2022 draft experienced some challenges after being brought into the NHL quickly, but he gained important experience. He ended the season with 19 points (three goals, 16 assists) and had a minus-7 rating, averaging 19:52 of ice time — the fifth most on the Devils.
Another rookie defenseman, Luke Hughes, led New Jersey in average time on ice (21:28) and recorded 47 points (nine goals, 38 assists) while playing all 82 games. The Devils see Nemec and Hughes as the future leaders of their defense corps for the next decade.
However, the current concern for the Devils is Nemec’s health, not future prospects.
“More tests will be conducted on Saturday to determine if he’ll be able to play in the Sunday game against Kazakhstan — which requires the Devils to grant Nemec permission to participate,” Nichols reported.
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