Will dynamic Carolina Hurricanes forward Martin Necas return to Raleigh? What we know
Carolina Hurricanes center Martin Necas (88) reacts after scoring on New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin (31) in the first period during Game 6 in the second round of the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs on Thursday, May 16, 2024 at PNC Arena in Raleigh N.C. ROBERT WILLETT
Martin Necas went out of the door immediately. Soon after the New York Rangers eliminated the Carolina Hurricanes from the Stanley Cup playoffs, Necas got on a plane to Czechia to compete for his native country in the 2024 World Championship. The winger traveled to Prague and played for Czechia’s national team against Canada on Tuesday.
The question now is: Will Necas return? To the NHL, yes. At 25, he has the pace and skill to be a top-six forward on many NHL teams. He might get a chance to play center for an NHL squad. However, there is growing speculation that he will not be doing so with the Hurricanes, who chose Necas in the first round of the 2017 NHL Draft. With all of the Canes’ offseason movements and roster selections, Necas might find a new home and a fresh start somewhere.
Necas just finished a two-year contract, signed in August 2022, that paid him $3 million a year. A restricted free agent with arbitration rights, he had 24 goals and 53 points in 77 games — an offensive dip from 2022-23, when he led the Canes with 71 points. Necas had four goals and nine points in the Canes’ 11 playoff games, scoring in each of the last two games against the Rangers in the second round. “He’s an exceptionally skilled player that has a lot more to give in my own opinion,” Canes president and general manager Don Waddell said Monday. “We’ll figure out something with him.
“I don’t have enough toes and fingers to tell you how many players have walked into my office about being traded,” Waddell added. “We’re not opposed always to trading players, but you also have to look at the value of what you’re getting back for players. Marty’s an exceptionally skilled guy that you’re just not going to give up on, that’s for sure.” Necas left town so quickly he was not available for the end-of-season media interviews this past weekend. A Czech Ice Hockey official said only media accredited to cover the IIHF World Championship are allowed to speak to members of the national team during the international event. Others have spoken for him. Necas’ father, Martin, in an interview with Denik Sport, said his son wants to play for a team on the top line and top power-play unit. Necas, used up and down the lineup for the Canes in his four full NHL seasons, was on a line centered by Jack Drury in the playoffs and on the second power-play unit.
Czechia goalie Petr Mrazek, once with the Hurricanes, spoke to iSport.cz and said playing for the Czech national team in the Worlds would allow Necas the chance to again show off “all his qualities.” Mrazek, playing for Czechia in the Worlds, indicated some of those qualities were not always on display in the Canes’ system. Waddell said Monday the Canes would like to add a right-shot center to the roster for next season. Necas, drafted as a center, is a right shot, but has not played that position for Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour, who requires sound defensive play and faceoff proficiency from his centers — captain Jordan Staal setting the standard. Asked Monday about the comments attributed to Necas’ father, Waddell said, “I love the parents but I want to talk to parents about their kids, not about their contracts. We’re gonna deal with this one.”
Waddell joked, “Say ‘Hi’ to his dad for me.” Necas discussed the uncertainty involved in an interview in March, just before the NHL trade deadline, when his name was prominent in trade discussion on social media. “You never know what can happen, you know,” he stated. “Maybe I’ll be with another team.
“You never know.” You just do your hardest and see what happens.”
