It's no secret that the Washington Capitals need offense, and general manager Brian MacLellan is expected to be busy this summer looking for answers on the trade and free agent markets.
There are quite a few names out there, and one name on the block is Martin Necas. The Carolina Hurricanes forward is receiving quite a bit of attention and there's business to be done, but is there something there for the Capitals?
Let's take a look.
Necas is a restricted free agent and carried a cap hit of $3 million last season, and he's expected to get a big pay raise given his production and upside.
In 77 games this season, Necas put up 24 goals and 29 assists for 53 points, a bit of a drop from the 28-goal, 71-point season he put up in 2022-23, but still impressive.
He also saw his role change as he averaged 17:21 minutes a night, usage left a bit to be desired. He didn't get as much time or attention as the other star-studded members of the Hurricanes' arsenal, and Necas' father even publicly stated in an interview with a Czech news outlet that he felt his son wasn't allowed to play his game and wasn't put above other players in Carolina, and that he would welcome a change of scenery to get more time to shine.
Related: Capitals' Purchase Of CapFriendly A 'Strategic & Valuable' Move, MacLellan Says; GM Explains Next Steps For Website
The 25-year-old has garnered interest and attention as he prepares for free agency, with the Vancouver Canucks and other teams said to be pondering deals for Necas.
Enter the Capitals; could they be a potential landing spot?
Washington needs more star power and a versatile, young top-6 forward who can put the puck in the net and add a spark. Necas fills that role, as the 6-foot-2, 189-pound winger can pack a punch on offense, and also has quick hands, impressive hockey sense and good awareness that can make him an X-Factor at 5-on-5 and on special teams.
He has the talent and skill to get the puck into the zone, sustain pressure and finish off plays, and he gets to the right areas, too.
Adding him to the mix would help the Capitals, a team in transition that is getting younger and faster, and also provide some offense to a team which has been struggling to produce and is watching Alex Ovechkin enter the twilight of his monumental career.
So, is there something there?
View the original article to see embedded media.
Per The Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli , Necas is a likely candidate to be traded, with the Hurricanes unwilling to give him the contract and extension he wants, especially with so many other free agents to address.
That said, Necas has quite the price tag, and Carolina isn't going to give him away for nothing in return, and any offer sheets would likely be matched to continue shopping him. It will take a current roster player and/or rising talent to get a deal done, so Washington would have to sacrifice a bit.
That brings us to reality.
It would cost quite a bit. Re-signing him to a long-term extension, per Seravalli, is expected to pay in the area of $7.5 million per season. That's a lot of money for the Capitals to put down on one player, and though there's likely going to be more flexibility to work with this offseason, it's still something to consider.
On the Hurricanes' side of the coin, they may not want to flip him to a Metropolitan Division rival, either. Not unless they get something really great back.
At the end of the day, nothing's impossible, and Necas would fit the bill for what MacLellan and Washington are looking for on the top-6.
Still, it would cost quite a bit, and as the Capitals get younger, it may not be their preference to trade away their up-and-comers or current stars to get him.
Local Washington, DC
Most Popular
Comments / 0