This text was created regardless of the performance of Šimon Nemec in the match between New Jersey and Pittsburgh.
The Devils won the game 2-1 on separate runs, maintaining their unbeaten streak on home ice this season. The German played 26 minutes and 39 seconds in it. More than usual, even the most in his career so far.
The reason is that the Devils are plagued by injuries and are missing up to three defenders playing on the right side, two of them key. In their absence, the German became the only right-handed defender in the team.
He got a plus, blocked one shot and played the most turnovers on the team (31). Among the opposing forwards, Yevgeny Malkin played the most against him, up to 7 and a half minutes, and he was on the ice with Crosby for 5 minutes. The expected goals ratio when he was on the ice was 49.39%, although the Penguins outshot the Devils 34-24.
The performance was in one word – solid.
But what weight should be given to it?
The German is proving this season that no conclusions should be drawn from any of his single matches. This is a chart that shows how the German finished games according to the Hockey Stat Cards index. Using statistics and analytics, he evaluates the player’s contribution to the team and his positive or negative impact on the game.
It also happened to him that four days after a three-point game, i.e. a record match, he played a duel with three minuses. We will discuss his performance today in more detail.
However, there are more questions than answers: In what context should his performances be perceived? Can age or suddenly increasing responsibility justify him?
What kind of hockey player is Šimon Nemec?
We asked the experts for their opinion, and although we cannot take the opinion of the artificial intelligence on the player’s performance seriously, we tried to ask it the same question as part of the experiment.
Even in America they can’t agree
We gave four journalists writing about the Devils a simple task: to describe Šimon Nemec in one word.
Jamie Nichols, who is part of the Professional Hockey Writers Association, whose members decide on the NHL’s multiple individual trophies, responded with
