The tradeFlames get: Defenseman Šimon Nemec, right winger Maxim TsyplakovDevils get: Vegas’s first-round pick in 2027, Colorado’s first-round pick in 2028, second-round pick in 2026, defenseman Etienne MorinHarman Dayal: Moving Nemec for a large haul is a smart decision for New Jersey for a variety of reasons.Nemec’s offensive production, ice time and pedigree mean his next contract, provided it’s a long-term one, will be expensive; he’s projected to carry an $8.06 million cap hit on a seven-year deal, according to AFPAnalytics. There was even speculation that he was eyeing something in the Luke Hughes range, which is $9 million. That kind of enormous contract was always going to be a near-impossible fit for a Devils team that has limited cap space and already has five defensemen on the roster making at least $4 million against the cap.With Hughes garnering most of the prime power-play and offensive opportunities in New Jersey, Nemec’s path to maximizing his value and potential was blocked. On top of that, he owns some of the worst defensive metrics in the league (he was on the ice for 3.19 goals against per 60 minutes at five-on-five this season). As of now, he isn’t worth anywhere close to an $8-9 million cap hit, according to colleague Dom Luszczyszyn’s Net Rating model.This trade ensures the Devils avoid a risky contract and arms them with draft picks that can be leveraged as currency to add top-six winger help.