Going into every hockey season, there are some players that teams and fans hope to see break out and have a career year. Sometimes, there are players people expect to have a breakout campaign, and then there are some who surprise everyone. The Carolina Hurricanes have a few players that people hope to see take that next step, or even find their previous form after a down season. Going into last season, people wondered if Czech forward Martin Necas was going to finally break out for the Hurricanes.
After the 2021-22 season, the Hurricanes signed Necas to a two-year, $3 million annual average value contract that is set to expire after the 2023-24 season. However, he will be a restricted free agent after the season so Carolina will still control his signing rights. Before this previous season, he had 40 points in 78 games accumulating 14 goals and 26 assists. In the 2020-21 season though, he was close to a point per game player with 41 points in 53 games played. In his 22 and 23-year seasons, he did manage at least 40 points in the two seasons before 2022-23. Despite all of that, it seemed that to some, he took a step back in 2021-22 compared to 2020-21 where he showed sparks of promise. So going into the 2022-23 season and starting his new two-year deal, it seemed like a prove-it season for Necas, and prove it he did.
Well Hello, Martin Necas
During the 2022-23 season, it seemed that Necas just went off from the word go. Right from opening night it seemed like he was on a mission to prove that he deserved that two-year deal that Carolina gave him in the offseason. Before the All-Star Break, it seemed that he could now be slowed down. Hurricanes fans saw the career season that he was having and tried their hardest to get him into the NHL All-Star Game. The NHL had a vote on X (then called Twitter) to have fans vote in players on their team. Once it went live, Hurricanes fans went wild getting votes in for Necas for days on end. At one point it even was Top 3 on the trending page on X. Ultimately, however, he was not voted in despite the valiant effort by Hurricanes fans.
While he did not make it into the All-Star Game, Necas kept on playing otherworldly with four overtime game-winning goals throughout the season. He ultimately finished as the Hurricanes’ top scorer on the season with 71 points, which was a career-high. Furthermore, he achieved career-highs in goals (28) and assists (43). There were some people who thought that he would have a breakout season, but there is no indication if anyone saw this coming from him over the span of the 2022-23 season.
Related: Hurricanes Got a Career Season From Necas in 2022-23
There was a chance Necas could have hit 80 points, unfortunately, Andrei Svechnikov got hurt right after the trade deadline. Once he went down, Carolina tried to find a spark in the lineup to help Necas and Jesperi Kotkaniemi on the second line. In the end, Necas did finish with 71 points despite losing Svechnikov late in the season. In the 2023 NHL Playoffs, he did tally four goals and three assists for seven points in 15 games.
Now coming into the final year of his two-year deal, can Necas prove that last season was not a fluke?
Necas is No One-Hit Wonder
As previously stated, Necas is going into the final year of his current two-year deal that expires after the season. Although, he will be a restricted free agent along with being arbitration-eligible. Carolina does not go into arbitration much so there is a good chance there won’t be a hearing for Necas and the Hurricanes.
Necas has to come into the season to prove to everyone that last season was no fluke. That he was not just lightning in a bottle with a one-season spark. He showed last season that he can be a high-end scorer who can also set up his teammates. The 43 assists alone shows how much of a playmaker that he can be especially on a line with Svechnikov and Kotkaniemi.
If the three of Necas, Kotkaniemi, and Svechnikov play the full season together, there is no telling how many points this line could produce. That being said, he needs to play like he did last season where he made the right plays and not try to do everything himself. If Necas can play with the hockey sense he had before Svechnikov got hurt, there is a possibility he can have another huge season. Maybe one where he does eclipse the 80-point mark. Furthermore, when, not if, Necas does get 80 points this upcoming season, expect him to get paid by Carolina.
Time to Get Paid
There is no reason for Carolina to not give him a three or four-year deal within the $4-4.5 million range if he has another career year points-wise. Necas is entering his seventh, yes seventh, year in the league. Oh, and he is only 24 years old. He is still coming into his prime and at the right time with how last season went. Necas has all the capabilities to build off of last season and show that he did not fluke into a monster season for Carolina.
Even in his younger playing career back in Czechia, he has shown the capability to put up points. While playing for HC Zdar nad Sazavou U16, he tallied 24 goals and 47 assists for 71 points. Those 71 points came in only 25 games played. That goes to show that even from a young age, Necas knows how to be a playmaker and rack up points.
Necas has the hockey sense and the will to build off of last season’s career year. The upcoming season is a huge year for him to not only get paid but to put himself within the ranks of being an up-and-coming superstar going into his mid-20s. The sky is the limit for Necas in what will be the biggest season of his career.
