‘I can be better’: How the Hurricanes’ Martin Necas is approaching the new NHL season

Martin Necas is back in town, has a new two-year contract, and is determined to make this season with the Carolina Hurricanes his best.

“I’m 25 now,” he said Thursday. “I’m not a young buck anymore.”

Necas said he would be more vocal in the locker room, looking to provide more leadership in his sixth NHL season. The Czech forward also said he hoped to be more consistent in his game-to-game production, which Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour surely would appreciate.

Last season?

“I mean, It wasn’t my best,” Necas said after an informal skate with teammates at Invisalign Arena. “I know I can be way better.

“It was just up and down, up and down. I wasn’t happy about it. I had some good games and had some bad games. I can be better.”

Necas, who combines elite speed with impressive skill, had set career highs in 2022-23, leading the Canes in points with 71 with his 28 goals and 43 assists. There was some talk before last season about him making a run at being a 40-goal scorer.

His final numbers: 24 goals and 29 assists for a 53-point regular season, finishing with a minus-9 plus/minus rating. After missing some games after a practice collision with teammate Dmitry Orlov, Necas played better and had nine points (four goals, five assists) in his 11 Stanley Cup playoff games.

“I did feel in the playoffs I took a step forward and felt more comfortable there,” Necas said. “But now it’s on to the next (season) and I know I’ll be much better.”

Soon after the playoffs ended, in the second round against the New York Rangers, Necas was quickly gone.

Necas said he did an exit interview with management — he missed the media session — and hopped a flight to Czechia to join the national team in the 2024 IIHF World Championship in Prague.

“It was a hectic time,” he said.

Necas played well. The Czechs won, on home soil. Thousands gathered May 27 for a wild celebration in the Old Towne Square in Prague, and Necas was seen in the middle of his teammates on the stage, shades on and a champagne bottle in his hand.

“It was unbelievable, the best time of my life, to be honest,” Necas said, smiling. “It’s fun winning. With us winning for the first time since 2010, and it being in Czechia, it was great.”

Necas played for the championship while many had to wonder if he would return to Raleigh — or another NHL city. There was much speculation that Necas could or would be traded, and a story circulated in Czechia that his father said a trade might be for the best.

“I wasn’t sure what was going to happen,” Necas said.

Necas took a vacation in Greece after the Worlds, then some soccer trips, trying to relax and ignore the rumors while knowing he had some business to do.

A restricted free agent with arbitration rights, Necas cranked up the negotiations with the Hurricanes. An arbitration date was set for Aug. 4, but on July 29 an agreement was reached: two years, with an average annual value of $6.5 million.

No hearing needed. Necas was staying put with the Hurricanes.

“Martin is an immensely skilled player who provides a scoring threat whenever the puck is on his stick,” Canes general manager Eric Tulsky said in announcing the contract extension.

Tulsky as GM was just one of the team changes after last season, taking over after Don Waddell left for Columbus. Leaving in free agency were defensemen Brady Skjei and Brett Pesce, and forwards Jake Guentzel, Teuvo Teravainen and Stefan Noesen. Evgeny Kuznetsov returned to Russia.

That was a big chunk of the team going out the door. The Canes won’t be the Stanley Cup favorites this season, as they were a year ago according to some of the oddsmakers.

But Necas was quick to note many of the core players remain: Sebastian Aho, Andrei Svechnikov, Seth Jarvis, Jaccob Slavin, Brent Burns.

“I was sad to see so many guys leave,” Necas said. “On the other hand I feel like I can step it up and Svech can step it up. Jarvy is playing great. And Fishy (Aho). We’ve got the core that we need to win it all.”

Preseason training camp begins next week. It all starts for real Oct. 11, against Tampa Bay at the newly renamed Lenovo Center.

“For me, personally, I’m super excited about the season,” Necas said. “I want to kind of lead the team and be the guy.”