Martin Necas an Intriguing Devils Trade Option

New Jersey Devils rival, the New York Rangers, officially knocked out the Carolina Hurricanes from the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Hurricanes have been a perennial contender in the postseason, however, just haven’t been able to get the job done. Now that their season is over, the vultures are already circling the Canes’ corpse whether it be for players, or head coach Rod Brind’Amour, although the latter is unlikely to leave Carolina. On the player front, however, there is one player who makes a Devils trade intriguing that will have teams lining up at Hurricanes General Manager Don Waddell’s front door.

According to insider Elliotte Friedman, Waddell is not likely to offer Czech forward Martin Necas a new contract, making the pending restricted free agent an intriguing option for Devils General Manager Tom Fitzgerald.

“Necas, I have believed for some time… that one, to me, just probably won’t work out there,” Friedman explained via 32 Thoughts the Podcast. “I just don’t think they’re gonna do what Necas wants to do.”

We’ve said it once, we’ll say it again. The Devils have a laundry list of items to address this summer. First and foremost will be a goaltender. That storyline is well-documented. The Devils could also use an upgrade on the blue line.

However, trading Tyler Toffoli left a hole in the Devils’ top six, one that could be filled by Necas. Although, admittedly, it’s not a one-for-one replacement. Necas is cut from a bit of a different cloth.

Acquiring Necas unquestionably has its positives and negatives. Let’s dive into why the Devils should and should not trade for the Hurricanes forward.

Trade for Necas

For starters, Necas fits in with the core age in New Jersey at just 25 years old. His best years are ahead of him, as are the Devils.

Acquiring Necas from the Hurricanes would unquestionably make the Devils’ top-six stronger.

Before Necas’ breakout 2022-23 when he scored 28 goals and 71 points, the Czech forward was seen as a perimeter player who could produce assists efficiently, although had defensive issues.

Since then, he’s developed his game into a much more efficient player and has even figured out how to better position himself to score. As a result, he’s increased his shots on goal by nearly 100 shots in the last two seasons in comparison to 2021-22, which suggests he’s more than just a playmaker at this point. Necas’ 231 shots on goal last season would have ranked third overall on the Devils.

Had Necas been playing next to more offensively complimentary players at 5-on-5 as opposed to Jack Drury and Michael Bunting last season, he might have scored closer to 30 goals like he did when he played with Andrei Svechnikov the season before.

Necas is a speedy player with one of the top bursts of acceleration in the NHL allowing him to attack the opposition at different speeds. His speed combined with his ability to control the puck, and make plays off the rush — at top speeds, mind you — certainly matches the Devils’ style of play. That combination of speed and playmaking enables the 25-year-old forward to generate chances for his teammates or create rush chances himself.

Necas’ size is certainly another plus. Standing tall at 6-foot-2, 190 lbs, Necas would automatically become the biggest top-six forward in terms of height, standing an inch taller than captain Nico Hischier.

The biggest reason why Necas can control possession and create by himself is due to the mixture of his size — allowing him to protect the puck on his stick — and speed — to beat his competition in foot races.

The former 12th overall pick in the 2017 draft has all the tools to be a star in the NHL. He’s a uniquely talented player with his size and speed which certainly makes him an intriguing Devils trade target.

Currently, Necas is playing for Team Czechia on a line with Ondrej Palat. Necas doesn’t necessarily control his future, but perhaps Palat can nudge him in New Jersey’s direction. Certainly, Necas would love to play in the Global Series to start next season in his country.

Don’t Trade for Necas

The very last line of Friedman’s quote should give Fitzgerald pause in constructing a Devils trade for Necas.

Necas seemingly wants to be paid like a star, although perhaps his average annual value is lower scoring four fewer goals and 18 fewer points in 2023-24.

Regardless, Evolving Hockey predicts a sign-and-trade situation for Necas, agreeing to a seven-year contract with a cap hit of about $7.5 million.

The Devils will have $18,823,603 in cap space this summer with key forward Dawson Mercer to re-sign, have six additional expiring contracts to address, and the Devils are searching for a high-end goaltender.

There might not be enough money to go around, especially if the Devils also plan on making an upgrade on the blue line.

There’s also the trade compensation to think about. The Hurricanes won’t just give Necas away and because Carolina plays in the Metro, there’s bound to be in-division tax raising New Jersey’s price of acquisition. Perhaps, to fit him under New Jersey’s cap comfortably, the Devils would have to give up someone like Mercer instead.

Lastly, Necas does kind of sound like more of the same in terms of what the Devils already have. A left handed, play-driving playmaker with speed and a knack for scoring on the rush sounds a lot like players such as Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt. The difference is Necas’ size, however, it’s not like the Czech forward is a physical menace throwing just 77 hits last season.

Necas is an excellent player and it’s easy to see a path where he thrives in New Jersey’s lineup. However, A Devils trade won’t be cheap or easy, and it doesn’t come without its complications either. The player will be highly coveted, and the Devils should be interested, but only a the right price.