Martin Necas breaks his silence and sets the record straight about his future in Carolina
Before signing a two-year extension worth $6.5 million per year, Martin Necas's situation was a hot topic across Quebec, with many rumors swirling about a possible offer sheet or even a trade to acquire his services from Kent Hughes.
Things escalated when his father almost publicly requested a trade, and it seemed like Necas's time in Carolina was definitively over following an interview on the radio.
The situation was tense between the two sides! The departure of Don Waddell quickly put his successor in the mix.
However, the signing of his new two-year contract with the Hurricanes seems to have eased tensions between both parties.
Does Martin Necas still want a change of scenery? Is he still on the trading block? Did he sign a two-year deal to facilitate a potential trade? We now have answers to these questions, as the player himself has broken his silence.
Elliotte Friedman reports Martin Necas's clear announcement
The rumors about the forward potentially moving to Montreal can finally be put to rest.
In an interview with Sportsnet reporter Elliotte Friedman, Martin Necas clarified his future plans. For him, everything is settled with the Hurricanes, and he intends to stay in Carolina!
This is quite a turnaround in the situation, as many experts had predicted that Necas's days with the Hurricanes were numbered.
"I wasn't sure," he admitted.
"We talked a lot with Carolina. It was 50/50. I didn't have the best season; I wasn't happy. But we turned the page, and we found a way to stay for two more years I feel like Carolina is my home. I was drafted there, I've played there for five seasons, and in the end, I'm happy to be back and to prove to people there that I am better than last season. I'm excited, I'm pumped up."
- Martin Necas, via Elliotte Friedman's article
He has thus broken his silence for the first time since his barely concealed trade request. According to him, he is in Carolina to stay. His name will officially be removed from the list of players who could be traded.
Elliotte Friedman adds that there was real doubt whether Necas and coach Rod Brind'Amour would be able to find common ground. There was significant friction over their respective philosophies!
Has Necas "reconciled" with his head coach?
- Martin Necas
At 25 years old, Martin Necas is a forward who has accumulated 243 points in 362 career NHL games, including 53 points in 77 games last season on a second offensive line (24 goals). He had complained about his role, as Svechnikov and Jarvis were on the first line with Aho. His offensive production was affected.
During the most recent playoffs, he was a key contributor to the team with 9 points in 11 games.
Source: Sportsnet
32 Thoughts: A collection of late off-season notes
| POLL | ||
Will Martin Necas test the free agent market in two years? | ||
| Yes | 96 | 87.3 % |
| No | 14 | 12.7 % |
| List of polls | ||
