With the 12th Pick in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft the Carolina Hurricanes Have Selected Martin Necas From the Brno Kometa in the Czech League.
About Martin Necas
At 6-foot, Necas has a good frame for an NHL forward. Unfortunately, he only weighs 167 pounds. Despite this, Necas plays a very confident two-way game and is responsible defensively. He plays hard with every shift and has a chance to be a player who gets time on the power play, penalty kill, and excels at five-on-five. He’ll need to fill out his frame properly, but his speed, confidence and puck-handling are things that cannot be taught.
The @NHLCanes have a new center in Martin Necas. #NHLDraft pic.twitter.com/v0U2YlQ0MB
— NHL (@NHL) June 24, 2017
THW Prospect Profile Excerpt:
Martin Necas is a highly-skilled playmaking center that works hard to create plays. His explosive speed and strong stick-handling coupled with his confidence and vision make him a very intriguing option coming out of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. There are some concerns about his size, however, as he stands close to 6 foot 1 but weighs under 170 pounds. If Necas is to make the jump to the NHL, he’ll need to add to his frame to withstand the NHL-style game.
In recent years, teams have shied away from drafting players due to size concerns. Necas, however, has proven that he can play alongside professional players in the Czech-league. His ability to make an impact on the offensive and defensive side of the puck stands out, and with his speed, NHL teams will surely be salivating at the idea of what he can do with some refining at the next level.
A raw talent, Necas probably won’t be making an NHL roster anytime soon. His abilities need to be fine-tuned and he’ll need to work hard to gain weight to properly fill out his 6-foot frame prior to playing in the NHL. While he likely won’t be a top-five selection, his upside and leadership will be too tough to pass on for long.
Full player profile can be found here
How This Affects the Carolina Hurricanes’ Plans
The Carolina Hurricanes have a very good prospect pool that’s already making an impact at the NHL level. Whether it’s on defense with players like Noah Hanifin, Brett Pesce, Jaccob Slavin or Justin Faulk or forwards like Sebastian Aho and Elias Lindholm, there are some very good young players currently on the Hurricanes. Necas has a chance to continue developing and start the next wave of youth. It’s unlikely that Necas makes the jump to the NHL anytime soon, but he’ll get a chance to develop properly without being rushed or pressured to do things too quickly.
