Every sport has aspects that make it challenging, but some are worse than others. Certain sports, such as hockey and football, are contact sports, so the physical part is evident. However, every sport has a mental element incorporated into it. Having a bad game or being in a slump can cause the athlete to be down on themselves. After all, athletes are human beings and go through things behind the scenes. One player that has experienced this firsthand is Carolina Hurricanes forward Martin Necas. There was a solution to the problem, which helped improve his game.
What Fixed the Engine
Training the proper way and being physically tough to play is essential. Furthermore, not letting anything affect you mentally is also important. There will always be critics and inputs on your level of play, so it is necessary to stay sharp and block out the noise. This is something Hurricanes forward Necas did when he went on to see a sports psychologist. He consulted with Marian Jelinek in Prague, who has previous experience working with other NHL players. He had this to say on the needed change, “Everyone is always worrying about your physical summer workouts and stuff,” Necas told The N&O. “It was this summer that I realized that the mental side is so important, too, and that if I can stay in the game for every shift, every game, and be confident and be on my game every night, I’m going to play good and be consistent.” (From Hurricanes winger Necas playing with added confidence after working with psychologist; The News and Observer; November 3, 2022)
Before the 2022-23 season, Necas was a player who never scored more than 20 goals and a career-high of 41 points. Despite the skill and talent he possesses, he was inconsistent and would go on long streaks without any production. His mental resilience propelled him to have a career season and helped him surge in the storm.
Surging in the Storm
The 2022-23 season was one to remember for Necas. After going through his offseason help, he transformed that onto the ice and had a career year. He came in with a chip on his shoulder and a more positive attitude. He was preparing a different way and had an entirely new lookout on preparing for game day.
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Necas addressed the different aura around him and said, “It’s a way to prepare for a game with your head. If something’s not working out, you need to stay calm and be on your game, which I feel like I’ve been struggling with in the past year. So we decided to do this. This is something new to me.” This type of preparation propelled him to a career season with the team.
Necas had a sensational year for the Hurricanes and was a big part of the team’s success. He scored 28 goals, 43 assists (team-high), and 71 points (team-high). He generated the second most expected goals (26), and scoring above his expected rate was a positive sign. His display of being a premier playmaker was on display, as 32 of his assists were primary. That means he was doing a great job setting up the goal firsthand. In addition, he led the team in power-play goals (nine) and points (26). He was a factor all over the ice and a machine at generating offense. Not only was he great at generating offense and producing, but he was also a hero on many occasions.
Necas finished the season with five game-winning goals, which was second behind Sebastian Aho (nine). However, of his five game-winners, four of them came in overtime. Only two other players on the team scored an overtime goal, so his being the hero was a significant factor. He had a career season, and it will be something to build on heading into the 2023-24 season.
Building Upon the Career Year
Forward Seth Jarvis is poised to have a career year, and Necas can now build off his. It was a breath of fresh air seeing him break out of his shell and be the player the organization envisioned him to be. Seeing the sports psychologist helped propel him to new heights, so him replicating this success should not be tough. He has now solidified himself as a core player and is a player head coach Rod Brind’Amour can count on.
This is a summer where general manager Don Waddell put his chips into the middle and added to this roster. With a more robust roster and a better-supporting cast, Necas can produce more. A healthy Andrei Svechnikov will be returning, and he spent much of the season on his line. The chemistry they developed was strong and the duo finished in the top three for goals scored on the Hurricanes during the 2022-23 season.
Necas will be able to build upon his career season and should produce more than what he did. Expectations for himself are raised, and there is a reason to believe he will have a scorching hot season. He is in a contract year and will seek a pay raise.