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NHL Mock Trade: What Martin Necas to NY Rangers could look like
Rumors have swirled around Martin Necas this offseason. The Carolina Hurricanes RFA has been embroiled in a standoff, which should ultimately come down to an arbitration hearing later this summer.
In particular, the impasse stems from Necas’ demands. He is reportedly seeking a $7 to $8 million AAV contract, preferably with a five to six-year term.
That sort of deal may be too much for the Canes to handle at this point. While the Hurricanes have close to $14 million in cap space, signing Necas to a $7 million AAV would eat up half of that amount. While $7 million in cap space is enviable, it would diminish the club’s ability to continue adding depth pieces this season.
As such, given Martin Necas’ desire for a big contract and his wish to get a fresh start with another club, the question emerges: What could a Martin Necas trade to the NY Rangers look like?
It’s an intriguing thought. Necas could easily slot in the Rangers’ top six, perhaps playing with Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider. Or, Martin Necas could play on the second unit with Vincent Trocheck and Artemi Panarin.
Those images should give Rangers’ fans all sorts of warm feelings.
However, pulling off such a trade would not be simple for the Rangers. First of all, the Rangers only have about $5 million in cap space. That means that the Rangers would need to make some room. Would the Canes be willing to take on Jacob Trouba’s contract? Not likely.
So, the Rangers would need to get creative to clear cap space for Necas’ new contract. Otherwise, the Rangers would just inherit Carolina’s problem.
The Carolina Hurricanes' return for Martin Necas
The other consideration is what the return for Martin Necas would look like. The Hurricanes would need to get at least a top-six forward to replace Necas. Considering the Hurricanes’ structure and system, parting with someone like Alexis Lafreniere makes no sense.
Perhaps Kaapo Kakko could go the other way, but that won’t be enough. The Rangers still have their first-round pick for this year, but that won’t be enough either. Additionally, the Rangers’ prospect pool doesn’t seem enticing enough to convince Carolina.
Ultimately, a Rangers-Hurricanes trade involving Necas would most likely include a player like Kakko or Filip Chytil, the Rangers’ first-round pick and perhaps as many as two prospects. If the Rangers could convince the Canes to take on Jacob Trouba’s contract, even with a 50% salary retention, the deal might work.
Otherwise, the Rangers might do well to play the waiting game. The Blue Shirts could circle back to Necas following the arbitration hearing and then make an offer. It could well be that the hearing could bring Carolina’s asking price down significantly, particularly if Necas is awarded a contract for over $5 million AAV.
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