Hurricanes player Martin Necas describes his “50/50” NHL free agency experience

This offseason, Martin Necas was a trade candidate for the Carolina Hurricanes. The 25-year-old forward entered restricted NHL free agency on July 1. And reports said he would be happy with a change of scenery this summer. In the end, Necas signed a two-year deal with the Hurricanes to stay in Carolina.

The 25-year-old is looking to build on his previous successes with the team. Not long ago, the Hurricanes star scored 28 goals and 71 points in a single regular season. However, Necas recently admitted that his return to Carolina is far from certain.

“I wasn't sure,” he told Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman. “There were a lot of conversations between us and Carolina. It was 50/50. I wasn't having the best season, wasn't happy. But we turned things around and found a way to stay two more years… I feel like Carolina is my home. I was drafted there, I played there for five seasons, and at the end of the day, I'm happy to be back and prove to the people there that I'm better than I was last season. I'm excited, I'm excited.”

Martin Necas talks about his relationship with Rod Brind'Amour

One reason for the transfer rumors this offseason is head coach Rod Brind'Amour. Brind'Amour and Necas clashed over their preferred style and Necas' ice time. The Hurricanes forward admitted that he wants more ice time this season. He also acknowledged that he will have to accommodate his head coach to make that happen.

“I've never had a problem with Rod off the ice, we've always been good to each other. I need to get better. Be a player he can trust. I'm looking for a bigger role, I definitely want to play more, but of course I need to show it on the ice and I've already talked to Rod,” Necas said of Friedman.

It's certainly an interesting situation, given Brind'Amour's overall success in Carolina. In fact, the Hurricanes have reached the Stanley Cup playoffs each of the six years the former forward has led the team. The Hurricanes retained Brind'Amour as head coach after suffering a brutal loss to the New York Rangers in the playoffs.

However, Necas did see a drop in his ice time in the 2023-24 season. The drop wasn't particularly significant. In the 2023-24 season, he averaged around 17.5 minutes, after averaging 18.5 minutes on the ice the year before. Still, the drop is notable enough to make Necas want more.

How Necas and Brind'Amour get along this year remains to be seen. Either way, they hope to take the Hurricanes to the Stanley Cup Playoffs next season. Carolina opens its 2024-25 season on October 11 against the Tampa Bay Lightning.