Necas re-signs with Carolina

The long wait is finally over and the speculations can now stop.

The Carolina Hurricanes re-signed Martin Necas to a 2-year, $3 million AAV contract, that will pay him $2.5 million this upcoming season and $3.5 million in 2023-24.

The speedy Czech forward was expected to take a big leap forward last season, but instead plateaued at a similar level as his previous seasons.

The Hurricanes are betting on him to re-establish himself as a difference maker, and if he can find that stride, the deal will be well worth it for Carolina.

For Necas, he will have to prove he can break back into the top-six after he was leapfrogged on the depth chart by Seth Jarvis and pushed even further down by the acquisition of Max Pacioretty.

Could a move to center be the key for him and, if so, can he outbattle Jesperi Kotkaniemi for the 2C spot?

One thing is for sure though, competition usually brings out the best in players and Carolina has a lot of talented players who all want to play.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – August 9, 2022

‘CANES RE-SIGN NECAS TO TWO-YEAR CONTRACT

Forward has tallied 119 points in 203 career NHL games

RALEIGH, N.C. – Don Waddell, President and General Manager of the National Hockey League’s Carolina Hurricanes, today announced that the team has re-signed forward Martin Necas to a two-year, $6 million contract. The deal will pay Necas $2.5 million in the 2022-23 NHL season and $3.5 million in the 2023-24 NHL season.

“Martin is a dynamic young playmaker,” said Waddell. “He has an elite combination of speed and skill and we think he’ll only continue to improve.”

Necas, 23, registered 40 points (14g, 26a) in 78 NHL games with Carolina in 2022-23. He has posted 119 points (45g, 74a) in 203 career NHL games with the Hurricanes. The 6’2”, 189-pound forward has also skated in 33 career NHL playoff games, recording 14 points (3g, 11a). Necas ranked second on the Hurricanes in game-winning goals (6) last season and took a career-high 159 shots on goal. The Nove Mesto na Morave, Czechia native has represented his home country at the IIHF World Junior Championship three times (2017, 2018, 2019) and the IIHF World Championship once (2018). Necas was drafted 12th overall by the Hurricanes in the first round of the 2017 NHL Draft.