The Carolina Hurricanes have signed center Martin Necas to a two-year deal with a $6.5 million cap hit.
CAN'T SPELL CANES WITHOUT NECAS 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/t3xVEDu6xA
— Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) July 29, 2024
Necas, who was a restricted free agent after his previous two-year contract with a $3 million cap hit, was a subject of trade speculation during these negotiations. It’s unclear if this extension is intended to facilitate a trade or if it will end the trade rumors, allowing him to remain with the Hurricanes for the time being.
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The new contract doesn’t include any no-move or no-trade clauses. Necas will receive a $3 million signing bonus in 2024-25 and a $1 million bonus in 2025-26, with salaries set at $6 million and $7 million for those seasons respectively. This deal provides Necas with a $3.5 million annual raise, making it the highest AAV (average annual value) of his career. The contract locks him in until he’s 27 years old, representing 7.39% of the 2024-25 salary cap. His cap hit will be the same as Brandon Hagel, Brayden Schenn, Brendan Gallagher, Chris Kreider, Claude Giroux, and Tom Wilson.
Necas experienced a dip in performance last season, tallying 24 goals and 29 assists for 53 points in 77 games, following a breakout 2022-23 season where he set career highs with 28 goals, 43 assists, and 71 points in 82 games. However, he showed improved form in the playoffs, scoring 4 goals and 5 assists for 9 points in 11 games before the Hurricanes were eliminated by the New York Rangers in the second round.
Selected 12th overall by the Hurricanes in the 2017 NHL Draft, Necas spent another season in Czechia before transitioning to North American hockey and making his NHL debut in the 2017-18 season. After mostly playing in the AHL during the 2018-19 season, he became a regular NHL player starting in the 2019-20 season.
In addition to re-signing Necas, the Hurricanes have also secured new contracts for Jaccob Slavin, Jordan Martinook, and Jack Drury. They have added free agents such as Shayne Gostisbehere, Sean Walker, William Carrier, Jack Roslovic, and Tyson Jost. The team currently has around $6.5 million in cap space remaining, with Seth Jarvis being their last key restricted free agent to re-sign.
