James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports
Take a bow if you predicted Martin Necas would be tied for fifth in league scoring behind Nathan MacKinnon, Kirill Kaprizov, Sam Reinhart and Jack Eichel halfway through November. That’s where things are at after Necas has recorded nine goals and 26 points through his first 16 games of the season.
The Carolina Hurricanes are surely feeling relieved they didn’t let the 25-year-old winger slip away from them this past summer.
Necas was the subject of unyielding trade rumors through the summer before signing a two-year, $13 million contract with Carolina at the end of July.
Many teams, including the Buffalo Sabres, Columbus Blue Jackets, Boston Bruins, Winnipeg Jets, Chicago Blackhawks and Montreal Canadiens, were all rumored to be in the mix for Necas leading up to the NHL Draft and beyond. Insider sources from Frank Seravalli to Pierre LeBrun were declaring teams’ interest in the young forward.
“I’m told five to seven teams invite intriguing possibilities for the Hurricanes, but no one’s gone up to the price that they’d like to see,” Pierre LeBrun said on TSN’s Insider Trading in June. “Winnipeg, you mentioned, Chicago, Boston, and Montreal among the teams that have inquired.”
Word is the Hurricanes at this point in the process have received concrete trade offers for Martin Necas but nothing yet they would say yes to … should continue to heat up next week at the draft in Las Vegas
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) June 19, 2024
“I believe it was Winnipeg,” Seravalli said on the DFO Rundown after the Hurricanes signed Necas. “I think Winnipeg offered Rutger McGroarty, Cole Perfetti and some pick.”
It was also reported that Columbus nearly acquired Necas in exchange for the fourth-overall pick in this summer’s draft. However, the Blue Jackets used the pick to select promising center Cayden Lindstrom.
Given the production Necas has provided Carolina thus far, whatever their asking price was in the summer likely wasn’t as far-fetched as teams might have thought.
Necas is currently riding a 12-game point streak, with 23 points in that span. He’s on pace for 46 goals and 133 points, which would easily clear the best offensive season in Hurricanes history, set by Eric Staal in 2005-06.
In 2023-24, Necas posted 24 goals and 53 points in 77 games played. It was a good year for the Hurricanes but it was a step back for Necas after a 28-goal, 71-point 2022-23 season. Carolina bet on the winger finding his form from two years ago, and what they’ve received so far is even better.
His 12 primary assists are tied for second in the league, and only five of his 17 total assists are secondary. He also leads the NHL in points per 60 minutes, sitting at 5.42, just ahead of Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov (5.29).
Although technically playing on the second line this season, Necas has clearly elevated himself to a first-line talent and is worth every penny of his new deal. Drafted 12th overall in 2017, his development has been uneven but he’s always shown flashes of dominance with his speed and puck skills. He’s seemingly put it all together.
It’s unlikely Necas maintains this rate of play, but even if he only manages to hover around the point-per-game mark by the end of the year, the Hurricanes will likely be wishing they found a way to lock him up long-term rather than negotiating a bridge deal.
The fact that the was even on the trade block at all last summer should have teams lamenting the lost opportunity to add what currently looks to be a franchise-altering player.
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