MUNICH — After landing with the Calgary Flames in a trade he welcomed and signing a life-changing new contract, Šimon Nemec had just one problem when it came to his newfound opportunity.How could he best ensure he was ready to seize it?Surveying his options, the 22-year-old Slovak defenseman figured he could do worse than borrowing from the toolbox of one of his country’s most legendary athletes, even if it meant getting slightly outside his comfort zone.“I started cycling more — road cycling,” Nemec told The Athletic during the NHL’s European Player Media Tour. “I know Zdeno Chára did it before, and it helped him to play bigger minutes. Just build an aerobic system and everything, so we used the bike a lot more than the years before.”Much easier said than done.Nemec comes from the town of Liptovský Mikuláš in northern Slovakia, which is cradled by the Tatra Mountains. There aren’t many flat roads to be found. That meant putting in lung-burning rides on steep inclines, which Nemec hopes will leave him with a little more push late in games at the Scotiabank Saddledome this season.“I have to go with my heart rate,” Nemec explained of those workouts. “Just stay in Zone 2 for (90 minutes), two hours, then I’m starting to get bored. Our sport is different. It’s like 30, 40 seconds (shifts) and then you go change. And now you have to sit on the bike for like two-plus hours.“I’m still not there. Maybe next year.”Why sports leagues finally embraced Las VegasTifo SportsThat challenge aside, the No. 2 pick from the 2022 NHL Draft recognized the need to push beyond his comfort zone.Playing on a New Jersey Devils blue line that also featured Dougie Hamilton and Luke Hughes last season, Nemec grew frustrated with his stagnating minutes. He actually saw slightly less average power-play usage (1:13) and overall playing time (19:40) than he did as a rookie in 2023-24 despite putting up a career-best 11 goals and 26 points in 68 games.