The uncertainty surrounding Martin Necas and the Carolina Hurricanes has been resolved with the announcement of a two-year contract extension on Monday, July 29. This deal concludes the speculation and rumors about whether Necas would stay with the team or be traded.
By securing this extension, both Necas and the Hurricanes avoided an arbitration hearing that was scheduled for August 4, following a qualifying offer made to Necas at the start of free agency on July 1. The question of Necas’ future with the team has been answered as the dust settles in Raleigh.
Necas Remains in Raleighwood
The Hurricanes have signed Necas, their 12th overall pick in the 2017 NHL Draft, to a two-year, $13 million contract that will keep him with the team until the end of the 2025-26 season. By then, Necas will be 27 years old and eligible for unrestricted free agency.
His new contract sees a significant raise, increasing his average annual value (AAV) from $3 million to $6.5 million for the next two seasons. This pay bump reflects the team’s confidence in Necas’ abilities and his desire for a salary increase.
General manager Eric Tulsky commented on the extension, praising Necas as a highly skilled player with a constant scoring threat. Tulsky emphasized Necas’ importance to the team’s ongoing success and expressed excitement about securing a multi-year deal.
Necas is known for his exceptional stickhandling skills and speed, qualities that come with heightened expectations following his $3.5 million raise. Now, it is up to Necas to perform under this new contract. He needs to replicate his 2022-23 form, where he led the team with 71 points, rather than revert to the lower 40-point range of his earlier career.
Despite a lower-body injury in the 2023-24 season, Necas still managed 24 goals and 53 points in 77 games. However, to maintain this level of play, he must rediscover the form that saw him score over 70 points. Contributing factors to his dip in performance include a reduction in ice time from 18:25 to 17:21 and a shift from the top power play unit to the second.
This change aimed to balance the power play units by separating Necas and Sebastian Aho, both of whom excel at entering the offensive zone with speed. The strategy ultimately succeeded, as the Hurricanes finished among the top five in the NHL.
As the 2024-25 season approaches, it remains to be seen how head coach Rod Brind’Amour will utilize Necas. Although Necas has privately expressed a desire to play center, his defensive shortcomings and a 41.5 percent faceoff win rate make him better suited as a winger under Brind’Amour’s system, which demands strong two-way play from its centers.
Necas might see increased ice time and a return to the top power play unit, possibly in a different role as the primary puck carrier. His exact deployment is still uncertain, but it’s likely that Necas will be a key player in the top six, possibly on the second line, and a regular in overtime situations.
\What’s Next for the Hurricanes?
With the Necas deal finalized, the Hurricanes’ focus now shifts to signing their remaining restricted free agent, forward Seth Jarvis. Jarvis is the last player to be signed before the December 1 deadline for players who received qualifying offers but are not eligible for arbitration.
There is confidence that this deal will be completed soon, as both sides are eager to finalize the terms. The Hurricanes still have $6.44 million in cap space, and general manager Eric Tulsky and his team are working diligently to get Jarvis under contract.
