Should the Flyers Be Interested in Martin Necas?

It was just about this time last year that the Philadelphia Flyers were a team to watch as a possible trade destination for Carolina Hurricanes center/winger Martin Necas.

Last offseason, Necas reportedly sought a larger role with his former club. He would not sign a long-term contract unless he were given that role. Carolina would eventually sign him to a two-year, $13 million deal, which he is entering the final year of.

Necas was a key part of Colorado’s return in the trade of Mikko Rantanen to Carolina. Which, not to get off topic here, seems as if somehow Carolina ended up winning after all this time.

Necas is reportedly “not overly thrilled” with his time in Colorado, according to Nick Kypreos. On the trade board, Kypreos mentions that the Avs could look to trade him if they cannot agree on an extension.

Make sure to check out Colorado Hockey Now’s Aarif Deen’s breakdown of the situation.

Let’s get back to the basics. Necas is a 26-year-old forward who will be 27 by the time the 2025/26 season ends. The Czech forward is coming off a career high of 83 points split between two clubs last season.

With Carolina, Necas tallied 16 goals and 39 assists for 55 points in 49 games–just over a point per game. In Colorado, Necas had 11 goals and 17 assists for 28 points in 30 games, which put him just under a point per game with the Avs. His combined stats: 27 goals and 56 assists for 83 points, 1.05 points per game.

Necas is just what the Flyers need: a speedy, versatile playmaker with size. Should the Flyers make a trade?

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Can Necas Return to Center?

It’s not hard to see that Martin Necas has played a lot of wing in his career. However, that is not to say it’s because he can’t play center. Necas has played alongside many talented centermen throughout his career. The best teams find ways to get their best players together, plain and simple.

That said, Necas was drafted as a center. He was developed as a center before actually getting to the league and was relatively roadblocked in Carolina. Necas has been fantastic on the wing. However, a return to center is not off the table, and it’s precisely why the Flyers should be interested.

Speedy, play-driving centers that are just as big of a scoring threat as they are passing are hard to come by. While Necas has played most of his recent career on the wing, he possesses the skills to be a high-end center still.

Necas can drive play, score from up front, play in the middle, and set up his teammates. One area he struggles in: the faceoff circle.

Necas is a career 41% at the dot, and has not been above 40% in two seasons. Granted, playing on the wing most of the time, his faceoffs are limited. However, it is still a bit concerning.

If the Flyers make this move, the intention is to move him back to center. One thing to keep in mind, however, is that they’ll have to trade a wing to make this happen. That would make it easier to transition him into a top-six wing position if the experiment fails.

Trading for a player who has not played center primarily to be your primary center is risky. However, you have to take risks to acquire talent. This is a risk the Flyers should be interested in making.

If Necas is Unhappy in Colorado, Could He Be Happy In Philly?

I will say, it’s quite strange to hear a player NOT be happy getting to play on the same line as Nathan MacKinnon. Even more so, it’s odd hearing a player be unhappy in Colorado. It is a team loaded with talent top to bottom. Before being traded, Mikko Rantanen said he would even take less than what he was expected to get to stay in Colorado.

Nonetheless, it’s strange hearing that Necas is unhappy with the Avs. If he were happy, a statement would have likely been made by now. The root of his displeasure in Colorado is unknown. He gets top-line minutes with one of the best of the best. Necas is also on the top power-play unit.

His production did not drop in Colorado, significantly anyway. Not to mention, the Avalanche are one of the most well-rounded teams in the league. They just happened to run into a hot team with someone having a revenge series in Rantanen and the Stars.

So, if Martin Necas is not happy in Colorado, what makes anyone think he could be happy in Philly?

I am just spitballing, but maybe Necas WANTS to return to center. I mean, why else would he be unhappy getting top-line minutes and first power-play unit time on one of the best teams in the league, with a great fanbase and a solid organization?

If that is true, the Flyers have nothing close to a Nathan MacKinnon or a Sebastian Aho. He would be the best center on the Flyers by far, even without being a primary center. It’s possible he’s unhappy because he wants a big pay raise. Well, the Avs may not be swimming in cap space, but the Flyers are.

It’s also possible that Necas simply wants to be the face of an organization. In Colorado, he was behind MacKinnon, Cale Makar, and more. He was a secondary “face” in Caroliona, too.

In Philadelphia, he would join the top of the list with Travis Konecny, just under Matvei Michkov, as the “faces of the franchise”.

Read More: The Daily: Flyers Hunt for a Defenseman; Trade Target Staying Put; Edmonton Takes Game 1

What Would Philly Have to Give Up?

Kypreos mentioned that a trade could come in July if the two sides cannot agree on an extension. Necas is also a UFA at the end of this coming season, so it could drive his value down a bit.

The trade conversation would start at a forward, top-six certainly, as well as a first-round pick. That is the base. Colorado has exactly 12 forwards under contract for next season, five defenders, and $1.2 million in cap space for next season.

The Flyers can add value to the return by taking on a bad deal. While it’s not particularly a bad contract, the Flyers could take Josh Manson in a return, who is making $4.5 million next season before becoming a UFA the following season. Trading Necas and Manson would open up $11 million for Colorado before adding the Flyers’ return.

To Colorado, if it happens pre-draft, the Flyers would have plenty of current draft capital to offer, including the No. 22 (Colorado’s own) and No. 31 overall picks, as well as plenty of seconds.

If this trade were to occur after July 1st, Rasmus Ristolainen, with a 50% retention ($2.55 million), could be of interest to the Avs. If a pre-draft trade is negotiated, I could see more picks, as well as cheaper defenders like Emil Andrae and/or Egor Zamula being involved.

Back to the top-six forward, the Flyers would have to trade one of Tyson Foerster or Owen Tippett. Foertser’s contract is more attractive, but he is a more valuable player. I also don’t see the Flyers willingly trading Foerster either. Tippett would be a solid top-six addition to replace Necas on the right wing. If they take Tippett, the Flyers would undoubtedly need to take on another contract and cough up some more assets.

In the end, Necas and a “bad” contract for Tippett, a defenseman (or two), a first, and an accumulation of lesser picks should be enough to get Necas in orange and black.

Would you trade for Martin Necas?

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