New Jersey Devils notes: On Nemec's demotion and balancing the power plays

I am generally not a fan of spreading the wealth on the power play – but this Devils team has the horses to do it.

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A few New Jersey Devils thoughts as we approach their season opener:

The Devils made the right call on Nemec

I know some were disappointed to see Simon Nemec sent to Utica, especially given how poorly some of his competitors for a roster spot – like Colin Miller – fared during preseason play. I get it.

But with Nemec you have to base your decision on his play and independent of anything else. It doesn’t matter if Nemec performed at a higher level than Miller. The latter’s performance has no bearing on the best path for Nemec’s development.

The only thing that matters is if Nemec is truly ready. In my opinion, he showed that he’s not quite there yet.

Yes, there were flashes of brilliance. Nemec made some fantastic in-zone passes and showed crafty navigation skills while breaking out of the defensive zone. We all saw the potential. Unfortunately, right now there’s more potential than substance.

Nemec visibly struggled defensively in almost every game he played. He was routinely caught running around in the defensive zone, and hemmed in for sustained periods, far too frequently; even more so when you consider he mostly saw half and half lineups.

There was not enough good to outweigh the bad. He posted poor defensive metrics and the Devils generated only seven high-danger chances in 60 minutes with him out there at 5v5. That’s not nearly enough offense to overlook the shortcomings at the other end.

I think Nemec will be better served playing 22-24 minutes a night in Utica and refining his game so the Devils get a better version down the road, be it later this season or next.

With regards to why the same isn’t being said about Luke Hughes, who also posted underwhelming 5v5 metrics, there are a couple of reasons:

1. He was exceptional quarterbacking on the power play. Not only did he look comfortable and dangerous, but his on-ice numbers were astronomically high. He can be relied upon to make an impact there right away. That’s value Nemec wouldn’t provide.

2. Luke is a year further along in his development. He is more physically mature and has even gotten a taste of NHL hockey at the highest level.

Sending Nemec to Utica may not be a universally loved decision. It is, however, the right one.

Split power plays are the way