Martin Necas turns the trade rumors into a two-year extension with Hurricanes

The Carolina Hurricanes have been one of those super-elite teams for a few years now but they have not reached the Stanley Cup Final. They are in danger of letting this era get away with that fact lingering. 

Well, part of trying to finally get over the hump is going to include keeping Martin Necas in the mix. Despite trade rumors, he has signed a contract extension. 

Necas’s deal is for two years and is worth $13 million. That is an average annual value of $6.5 million. It’s risky business for Carolina because of the money but there isn’t much of a risk with the term. If he reaches his true potential, this will look like a steal and a lot more money will be in his future. 

In 2023-24, Necas had 24 goals and 29 assists for 53 points in 73 games played. It was a good year but it is a step back from his 28-43–71 season that he had in 2022-23. He’d like to build on his experiences and become the best possible version of himself. 

Martin Necas is a solid bet for the Carolina Hurricanes to make

Carolina has Necas in there with a ton of other great forwards. He has guys like Sebastian Aho, Andrei Svechnikov, and Seth Jarvis around him to make big plays and create chances for one another. 

This was a good decision for everyone. If Necas were to be traded, the chances are that he would have gone to a team that isn’t as good as the Hurricanes. The opportunity for him to make even more money in the long term is there for him over these two years. 

Some may feel like this contract is a bit rich for a second-line player like Necas. However, that is the modern-day price for a young second-line winger who has the potential to be a top-line guy. If he goes from a 50-70-point player to a consistent 80-point player, the Canes will be in business. 

The dialogue before this contract was signed makes you pause about what will happen after the two years are up on this extension but that is a problem for another day. For now, winning the Stanley Cup in one of these two years is their goal. The roster is close but is it close enough?