What a few days it’s been for Carolina Hurricanes forward Martin Necas. After being eliminated from the 2024 NHL Playoffs in the second round versus the New York Rangers, the 25-year-old Czechia native returned to his home country to compete in the 2024 IIHF Men’s World Championship. In five games playing for his country, he had seven points and helped lead Czechia to a gold medal. He scored the game-winning goal in their 4-2 win over Sweden to make it to the final. In the gold medal game, Czechia went on to win 2-0 over Switzerland to claim their first first-place spot since the late 1980s. To go from being eliminated from the NHL Playoffs to a gold medal winner is one way to make your summer enjoyable. However, the 2024-25 season will be here before we know it and the main question that keeps swirling around Necas is whether he will be with the Hurricanes come opening night.
On the most recent episode of the 32 Thoughts Podcast on Sportsnet, Elliotte Friedman and Jeff Marek discussed what the Hurricanes could do with Necas who had 24 goals and 53 points in 77 games for Carolina in 2023-24. It has been brought up a couple of times how the Hurricanes were looking to acquire Elias Pettersson from the Vancouver Canucks earlier in the season. However, nothing came to pass but Friedman has stated that the Canucks are still interested in the Czechia winger/center. There was a name that came up that could be a solid fit for the Hurricanes who is a restricted free agent (RFA) with the team from British Columbia. However, there is another team that I could see Necas going to if the trade works out. Who are those players and what teams are they on?
Filip Hronek – RD, Vancouver Canucks
One name that Friedman brought up on 32 Thoughts was defenseman Filip Hronek. The 26-year-old Hradec Kralove, Czechia native had five goals and 48 points in 81 games for the Canucks who won the Pacific Division during the 2023-24 season. However, they were bounced in the second round in seven games versus the Edmonton Oilers. In the playoffs, he finished with two points in 13 games for his first-ever postseason appearance. The former 53rd overall pick of the Detroit Red Wings in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft had himself a career year points-wise. The 48 points were the most he has had in his career and had a plus-33 on the season while averaging 23:26 of ice time.
Related: Hurricanes’ Cap Situation Could Force a Martin Necas Trade
Hronek is set to become an RFA after finishing a three-year, $13.2 million deal which he signed back in September 2021 with the Red Wings. He is arbitration-eligible as well and is a right-handed shot defenseman. The reason why Friedman keeps bringing him up in potential deals with Carolina is that he could fit a need for the Hurricanes going into the 2024-25 season. With the unknown of what they are going to do with Brett Pesce and Brady Skjei, it would be smart for the team to look at their possible replacements.
Hronek is viewed as a very good puck-moving defenseman with a hard shot that could fit with what the Hurricanes expect from their blueliners. Furthermore, he is someone who could fit in well with an offensive defenseman like Skjei on the second defensive pairing. While he does have some offensive production, he can be someone that Carolina could use on the penalty kill and is the right-handed version of Jaccob Slavin to an extent.
Hronek will most likely be the replacement for Pesce if the Hurricanes cannot bring him back since he is going to be an unrestricted free agent (UFA). Pesce has rejected a five-year, $25 million offer from Carolina and if he walks, there is a good chance of them and the Canucks working out a deal after all. Pettersson signed an extension with the Canucks that will see him get paid $11.6 million through the 2031-32 season. Once that was done, a deal with the Hurricanes fizzled out. However, with the rumblings of Vancouver still wanting Necas, there is a chance Carolina could find their right defenseman replacement for Pesce.
Related: Canucks’ Filip Hronek Reportedly Rejects Massive Extension Offer
If there were to be a trade that involves Hronek and Necas, what could that look like? While talking with Canucks beat writer Matthew Zator here at The Hockey Writers, a possible trade could look like Hronek and a 2024 third-round pick going to Carolina. In return, Vancouver would be getting back Necas and a 2024 fourth-round pick. Some could argue the Hurricanes could get more but when dealing with trading two RFAs’ rights and picks, something like this could work for both sides. If anything, that could be the foundation for the two teams to work out a deal that could see Necas in the blue and green and Hronek in the red and black.
Jakob Chychrun – LD, Ottawa Senators
Another option for the Hurricanes to help bolster the blue line is Jakob Chychrun of the Ottawa Senators. The 26-year-old Boca Raton, FL native had a season where he played in all 82 games for the first time in his career. He tallied 14 goals and 41 points while averaging 22:23 of ice time. While it wasn’t the season he or Ottawa wanted, he is still another great option for the Hurricanes to look at in a Necas trade.
Chychrun has one year left on his six-year, $27.6 million deal that he signed with the Arizona Coyotes back in November 2018. He is set to become a UFA after the 2024-25 season where his average annual value (AAV) is $4.6 million. Furthermore, he has a 10-team no-movement clause on top of his contract. He is a left-handed defenseman who could play on either side of the defensive pairings. However, he plays better as the left-side defenseman. He is known for his offensive side, but can sometimes need help on the defensive side of the game. There could be a chance of seeing him on the second power-play unit if the Hurricanes play him there.
Related: Senators Should Think Twice Before Trading Jakob Chychrun
Why bring him in? Just like Hronek being the replacement for Pesce, Chychrun could be a great Skjei replacement. Furthermore, he does have one more year left on his deal which is cheaper than what Skjei and Pesce are looking for going into free agency. He is also younger than both of them, so there could be a chance of an extension going past the 2024-25 season for him and the Hurricanes. Chychrun is viewed as a solid second-pair defenseman who can bring offense to the team and if paired with Pesce, that could be a solid duo behind Slavin and Brent Burns who will be the first defensive pair for Carolina.
While talking to Senators beat writer Jacob Billington of The Hockey Writers, a deal that could work for both sides would be Necas going to the Senators in exchange for Chychrun and a 2024 third-round pick going back to the Hurricanes. Ottawa would get someone who they could slide next to Shane Pinto on the second line while Carolina would fill a need on defense if they cannot bring back Skjei next season.
Two Birds, One Stone
In essence, both of these deals involving Necas are helping the Hurricanes fill a need on their second defensive pair if they cannot bring back either Skjei or Pesce. The hope is to bring both guys back, however, if it does not work out, they can move on from Necas who wants more money, and be something more as a player that the Hurricanes don’t view him as. Plus, it gives them a chance to find a replacement for a defenseman they might lose to free agency.
It’ll be interesting to see what Carolina does in the coming weeks as we are less than five weeks away from the 2024 NHL Draft along with the free agency and re-sign stage that begins on July 1. If the Hurricanes cannot bring back either Pesce or Skjei, a trade with Necas for a defenseman could be something to look into if he doesn’t want to stay as well. Hronek or Chychrun would be great options on either side of the second defensive pair. They could also fit in well with Skjei or Pesce if one of those guys stays with Carolina next season.
The 2024 offseason will be an interesting one for the Hurricanes as they look to fill a plethora of open spots on the main roster. Will they trade to fill needs or see what happens in free agency? Or maybe a mix of both? Either way, if they cannot bring Necas back, a trade with either the Senators or Canucks might just work to fill a need and give them the flexibility to build the team for the 2024-25 season.
