New Jersey Devils defenseman Simon Nemec has appeared in 26 games and has 13 points this season.

Unreal.

That is the word New Jersey Devils defenseman Simon Nemec repeatedly used to describe the beginning of his NHL career.

After a 45-minute practice on Monday, the 19-year-old sat down with Kristy Flannery of The Hockey News to discuss what it is like to achieve the NHL dream.

"Two years ago, I was in Slovakia, and now I'm playing 20-plus minutes in the NHL in every situation," he said with a smile.

Through his first 26 games, Nemec has averaged 20:46 of ice time. He has quarterbacked the second power-play unit and has spent time on the penalty kill. Additionally, he has been part of the team's top defensive pair, most recently partnered with Kevin Bahl.

"It is great," he said of his experience so far. "It is my first season, and I'm playing a lot of minutes on the ice in every situation. Off the ice, we have great stuff here. We have everything that we need. It's a dream come true."

"The food is unreal," he added with a laugh.

Nemec has played 26 games in under two months, as he made his NHL debut on Dec. 1. When asked how he has been handling the schedule, he acknowledged it has been a lot of games.

"Sometimes it (goes) slow. Sometimes it (goes) fast. I've been here, I don't know, two months, and I've already played 26 games and had a one-week break," he said. "It is a lot of games, but I like it. I think it is great to be here and play with the best players."

The 2022 second-overall pick shared that he was not anticipating the minutes and responsibility he has been given since being called up.

"I did not expect it, but it is unreal," Nemec said. "It is great for me. I still want to get better every day."

So, what areas does he want to improve upon?

The blueliner said he wants to work on his defensive zone play and continue to improve in all areas of his game.

As the locker room slowly cleared, Nemec was asked one final question.

"Is there anything about this experience that has surprised you thus far?"

After a moment, Nemec provided an answer that served as a reminder of how important the mental aspect of the game is.

"I have to be focused 100 percent every shift because all these guys are the best players in the world."

Nemec and the Devils are back in action on Tuesday night when they host the Colorado Avalanche at Prudential Center. 

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