Carolina center Martin Necas, who had filed with for salary arbitration on July 5, avoided a hearing by signing a two-year, $13 million contract with the Hurricanes on Monday.
Necas, 25, was a restricted free agent after a 53-point season (24 goals, 29 assists) in 77 games for Carolina last season. In 11 playoff games, he added nine points (four goals, five assists).
“Martin is an immensely skilled player who provides a scoring threat whenever the puck is on his stick,” Hurricanes general manager Eric Tulsky said in a statement. “He will play a key role in the continued success of our franchise, and we’re excited to have a multiyear contract done.”
Carolina’s first-round pick (No. 12 overall) in the 2017 draft, Necas has 243 points (97 goals, 146 assists) in 362 regular-season NHL games. In 59 playoff games, he has totaled 30 points (11 goals, 19 assists).
Signing Necas leaves forward Seth Jarvis, 22, as the Hurricanes’ lone unsigned restricted free agent. A first-round pick by Carolina in the 2020 draft, he set career highs in goals (33), assists (34) and points (67) in 81 games last season. He added nine points (five goals, four assists) in 11 playoff games.
In 231 NHL games, Jarvis has compiled 146 points (64 goals, 82 assists), with an additional 27 points (13 goals, 14 assists) in 40 playoff games.
“It’s possible it will be short-term deal and then a longer-term later,” Tulsky said of Jarvis’ contract situation. “It’s possible we’ll do a long-term deal now. There’s a lot of ways of getting it done, but nobody is concerned about whether he’s going to be here for the long haul. It’s just a question of how the contract makes that work.”
–Field Level Media