Why Bruins should pursue a Simon Nemec trade if he's available

The Bruins need more offensive production, especially from their defense, after a first-round playoff loss where none of eight defensemen scored and no one exceeded two points. Mason Lohrei produced no points in three games and was a healthy scratch in the other three. The team also showed a lack of speed in both team play and individual skating, which hurt their ability to exit danger under the Sabres’ forecheck. A potential offseason target is Simon Nemec of the New Jersey Devils, who has strong skating, puck-moving ability, frequent shooting, and potential for 10-plus goals. Nemec’s situation may require a decision soon because he will be a restricted free agent in July.

"The Bruins' blue line did not provide enough offense in the team's first-round playoff series loss to the Buffalo Sabres. None of the eight defensemen who played for Boston in those six games scored a goal, and none of them tallied more than two points. Mason Lohrei, who's one of the more offensively gifted defensemen on the Bruins' roster, failed to register a single point in three games and was a healthy scratch for the other three matchups."

"So, who can the Bruins target in the offseason to bolster the offensive production of their blue line and improve their transition game? One possibility is a Simon Nemec trade with the New Jersey Devils. There were conflicting reports out of Nemec's home nation of Slovakia this week on whether he has asked for a trade. However, James Nichols of New Jersey Hockey Now reported Friday that Nemec has not requested a trade."

"The bottom line is the Devils do have to make some kind of decision on Nemec's future in the near term because he will be a restricted free agent in July. Nemec was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft. He's 6-foot-1 and 190 pounds. He's not overly physical, but he plays the kind of style that Boston desperately needs on the back end."

"In addition to a lack of scoring depth, another big takeaway from the Bruins' playoff loss to the Sabres was how slow they played. The lack of speed from a team and individual perspective was glaring. Nemec plays an uptempo kind of game. The Sabres' forecheck was a huge factor in Round 1 because Bruins defensemen didn't have the skating ability or puck-moving skill to get the puck out of danger fast enough."

Read at NBC Sports Boston