On Sunday, the Carolina Hurricanes announced that Martin Necas was being returned to HC Kometa Brno in the Czech Extraliga.
The move marks the end of a great run of hockey for the Carolina Hurricanes first round draft pick in the 2017 NHL Draft. He looked incredibly promising and is a near certainty to play in Raleigh in the future. The move does mark the end of Necas’ NHL time in 2017-18 except in the odd event that he returns for a game or two at the end of his season in the Czech Republic.
A foregone conclusion after Tuesday’s NHL debut
For me, the move was a foregone conclusion after Martin Necas’ lone regular season appearance against the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday. A fairly detailed of Necas’ play was included the game recap which you can find HERE. In short, Necas just is not ready to play center at the NHL level. His game is advanced in terms of playing with the puck on his stick in the middle of the rink, and his speed makes him at least serviceable as a forechecker, but he has work to do in terms of sorting out responsibilities without the puck in the neutral zone and defensive zone.
Credit to Coach Bill Peters for making his (albeit short) try out at his natural center position with two capable wings at his side. And credit to Ron Francis for recognizing that Necas belongs at center and not trying to patch a short-term hole at right wing and also for correctly assessing that Necas is not enough of a difference-maker for 2017-18 to forego a year of development playing 18 minutes per game in all situations and also burn the first year of his three-year entry-level contract.
I spelled out the more detailed case for Necas ultimately playing below the NHL level in 2017-18 in my article from September 28 which also discussed his work list for development during the 2017-18 season.
So why did he stay at the NHL level (and mostly not play) then?
It is possible that Necas spending a couple weeks at the NHL level before departing for the Czech Extraliga could be interpreted as indecision or possibly an incorrect initial decision.
I do not view that as being the case. Rather, I view Necas short stint at the NHL level even though most of it was on the bench was a calculated decision by Ron Francis with multiple reasons.
First, it was a reward for Martin Necas having a strong training camp. If my understanding is correct, he should still be paid for his short time in the NHL. (Someone holler if they know otherwise.) By NHL standards, the few $10,000s that Necas earned are a pittance, but an 18-year old who just signed his first NHL contract, it is a massive windfall to the tune of a nice car.
Second, I think the NHL exposure is valuable. From staying a few weeks, Necas received the opportunity to see firsthand what it means to be an NHL player in terms of routine and commitment. In addition, he should have spent significant time with the strength and conditioning coaches learning what he needs to do to maximize his physical development over the next year.
Third, I think Francis and Peters recognized that there was a chance that he just seized the opportunity and never looked back. That did not happen, but I still think it was a reasonable possibility coming out of training camp.
Finally, I think the ice time lost and the development time that was lost was minimal. He played the 2016-17 season in the Czech Extraliga, so he should be able to hit stride quickly upon returning and giving up about two weeks of games is minimal loss.
When one adds it up, there were significant reasons for keeping Martin Necas at the NHL level short-term and minimal downside.
Martin Necas’ future is incredibly bright
Important to note is that Necas’ stock rose significantly over the course of the summer and also training camp. He looks every bit of being worth his #12 selection and probably a bit more. Also significant is that he projects to fill one of the Hurricanes’ greatest needs which is to add more of a pure playmaking center who can be a catalyst for a scoring line and boost the production of his wings.
What is Martin Necas’ target list for improvements?
Martin Necas clearly projects to be an NHL player and a very good one even, but that happens not just because it is possible but rather because he works hard to round out his game.
I see the following as his priorities for development:
1) Gain a better understanding of the defensive role and positioning, decision-making and angles defending in the neutral zone and defensive zone. He is fine in an F1 role on the forecheck with straightforward responsibilities to pressure the puck. But the one area where he clearly was not ready was the details of defense without the puck in the neutral zone and his own end.
2) Become stronger and more explosive. Necas is already a great skater, but at his age there is still usually a higher gear to be had in terms of acceleration and burst speed. More significantly, he must continue to add good weight to fill out his frame which projects to be at leave average NHL size.
3) Work to strike the shooting/scoring versus passing/playmaking balance necessary to keep NHL defensemen honest. That includes improving his shot and also working to use his quickness to make shooting chances for himself by forging toward the net, making space and shooting.
Finally, I will close with one other piece of additional reading for those who were away from Canes hockey over the summer. Our ‘Back to School’ series kicked off with a great interview about Martin Necas with Robert Kron who is the Head European Scout for the Carolina Hurricanes.
Go Canes!
Good points Matt.
My guess is the organization agrees with you, which is a big part of the reason why he’s back in the Czech Republic today.
I would reverse the items you listed. I think Necas will end up being an NHLer no matter what, it’s what kind of NHLer that is to be determined.
I see a potential franchise center, and I see a speedy 3rd liner that plays far too much in the perimeter.
In order to develop into that #1 center, Necas needs confidence going to the slot, making a home in that area, and shooting more. A lot more. This is why I was hoping he’d play Canadian Juniors, where his physical size wouldn’t be an impediment, and he could focus on developing more offensive tools.
I’m sure he’ll grow offensively no matter what, and I’m sure he’ll learn defensive positioning and more about being a pro in the adult league, so hopefully the team (and Necas) are right about the choice to play over in Europe. Only time will tell
You could argue that playing in Europe is actually better for him getting to the dirty areas, there is more room over there and generally not a ton of physical play. Those CHL kids can be nasty trying to make a name for themselves with hits. Especially on a first round pick.
I figured that GMRF would give Necas a couple of games and send him back to the Czech League. A year or two would give him time to bulk up and learn the game. I hadn’t considered the money angle ,though.
One additional reason for keeping him so long? – the team was on an extended road trip and I think it was much better for a young player to wait until they had returned to Raleigh before sending him back. All of the other “reasons” you indicate were benefits both to the team and Necas.
I concur with your assessment – as good as he was with the puck on his stick and given that one excellent shift he had in-game, Necas could not finish nor help his linemates finish.
I didn’t realize his scoring totals were so low in the Czech league. And that makes me wonder whether a return to the Czech league was the right choice to make. I know RF has stated he wants to leave the decision to the player where he goes but I think this is a special case. I am doubtful that his team in the Czech league has the same priorities for Necas as the Canes would want to see to further his development. I think ideally he should have been sent to Charlotte where his development could be better watched over and guided with intent by the organization with the most interest in him. But that would limit the organization’s roster limit. Second best would have been Canada where he would be closer and have the advantages you mention. I am concerned he will not be significantly improved by another year in Europe – we will see next prospect camp, I suppose. 🙂
I wouldn’t say he “didn’t help his teammates finish”. Set up Aho with a golden opportunity from the dead slot that 4th-game-of-season-Aho whiffed on. 15th-game-of-season-Aho probably gets Necas his first career point on that play. And he only played 6:54, not much of a chance to do much.
I love the fact that we don’t need to rush kids to the NHL anymore. Talented kid an is close to NHL ready but needs a little more seasoning. He now knows what it takes to be a pro an what he needs work on to get there. Smart choice
Size and strength, not to mention more experience (against men) will certainly make him much more capable of returning stronger to the Canes next year (if not sooner).
Young guys are bound to GROW (in many ways), and certainly he has learned a lot which he will be able to apply to his development!
Pros: it’s the right move. He got to practice and spend valuable time on a road trip with teammates and see the pro game first hand.
Cons: give him another game or two where you actually give him a decent amount of ice time if you’re gonna keep him here this long. He showed flashes, and if there was ever truly a debate over whether or not he could be a legitimate contributor in 2017-18 then he should have been given game action. Some guys don’t practice as well as they play, and maybe he could have played a hand in another goal in Winnipeg or Columbus. But who knows.
Overall… again, it’s the right move. Can’t wait to see a hopefully 10-15 pound heavier, faster, more mature version suit up in 2018 and be a Calder finalist 😀
As I said in my post game vs. the Stars comment. I am happy with the decision, but I think he should have playd another game before being sent home, especially in Dallas where the team was tired, lot of traveling, and needed a spark. Skinner eventually provided that spark but a couple of minutes too late to tie the game (seriously, another couple of minutes of that intensity and we would’ve tied it).
I hope to see some more Checkers called up and given auditions in the stretch of games to come.
With one exception, the Checkers offense has been rolling.