With the No. 2 overall selection in the 2022 NHL Draft, the Devils selected defenseman Simon Nemec from Slovakia.
The 6-foot-1, 185-pounder called the moment he heard his name “an amazing moment for my family, for me, for everybody in Slovakia.”
The 18-year-old wasn’t the only Slovak chosen, as Juraj Slafkovsky was taken No. 1 overall by the Montreal Canadiens.
“It's an amazing night because we had the first overall and second overall,” Nemec said.
But after all the emotions calmed down a bit, Nemec said he’s ready to get to work for the Devils.
“I want to go to North America. Maybe the American Hockey League," he said. "If there's an option for me I want to play a couple games in the NHL.”
In the 2022 Winter Olympics, Nemec helped Slovakia earn a Bronze Medal.