Report: Bruins among teams interested in Hurricanes star Martín Necas originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Boston Bruins Needs to acquire another top-six forward. and add a little more speed to their lineup during the NHL offseason. Could Martín Necas be a realistic target for them?
The Carolina Hurricanes forward has been the subject of trade rumors in recent weeks. He can become a restricted free agent this summer and the Hurricanes have to decide if he will be a part of their future.
If the Hurricanes make Necas available, what teams might be interested?
“The Winnipeg Jets, Chicago Blackhawks, Montreal Canadiens, Calgary Flames and Boston Bruins are among the teams that have shown general interest.” The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun reported Thursday. “I’m not sure if they are among the five or seven that Carolina considers compatible.”
LeBrun also noted that “there’s no question he wants a change of scenery.”
Necas is only 25 years old, so from an age perspective, he would be an ideal player to add to the Bruins’ core of David Pastrnak (28 years old), Charlie McAvoy (26) and Jeremy Swayman (25).
The Czech forward is a versatile player capable of playing center back, but in Carolina he has been used mainly as a winger. The Bruins really need a top-six center after Charlie Coyle and Pavel Zacha struggled to score goals and generate offense at 5-on-5 during the playoffs.
Necas scored 53 points (24 goals, 29 assists) in 77 games last season. He set career highs with 28 goals and 43 assists in 82 games during the 2022-23 campaign. Necas scored nine points (four goals, five assists) in the Hurricanes’ 11 playoff games last season. It’s also fair to say that Necas is one of the fastest players in the league.
The Bruins have about $21.2 million in cap space right now. by CapFriendly. They have to re-sign goalie Jeremy Swayman (RFA) and consider re-signing Jake DeBrusk (UFA). among other internal free agents.
If the B’s acquired Necas, they would have to sign him to a new contract. That could be expensive, but given his age and talent, acquiring a player of his caliber would be a really important decision. Necas is also familiar with Bruins forwards David Pastrnak and Pavel Zacha. The three helped Czechia win the gold medal at the 2024 IIHF World Championship last month.
If the Bruins don’t reach a deal for Necas, there are plenty of good free agents who could be available on July 1. Top forwards who could hit the market include Steven Stamkos, Elias Lindholm, Sam Reinhart, Jake Guentzel, Jonathan Marchessault, Tyler Toffoli, Chandler Stephenson and Anthony Mantha.
