Necas primed for successful future with Hurricanes

COPENHAGEN, Denmark -There has been plenty of buzz regarding
Martin Necas
around the Carolina Hurricanes. Their goaltender, Scott Darling, has not only heard it; he has seen the 19-year-old center play.
He thinks Necas, one of the organization's top prospects, is close to stepping up and becoming a full-time NHL forward.

"He's a tremendous player," Darling said. "He's got through the roof [potential]. His ceiling really has no limit. We're excited to see him and know he's in our future. The organization will decide how that works for him."
Necas, who had five points (three goals, two assists) in seven games with the Czech Republic at the 2018 IIHF World Championship, hasn't needed much time to ripen. He was selected by the Hurricanes with the No. 12 pick in the 2017 NHL Draft, and made his debut with the Hurricanes four months later, a single-game audition to start the season before he was loaned to Kometa Brno in the Czech Extraliga.

He impressed there, leading all junior-aged scorers with 17 points (nine goals, eight assists), in 24 games.
The quick success didn't surprise those familiar with him and his game.
"Just look at his shot," said St. Louis Blues forward Dmitrij Jaskin, a Czech Republic teammate. "It's amazing. He can dance through four people. It's really hard to read him. He's so quick with his size and his speed. It's just great. He's 19. It's amazing how he plays. It's a lot of fun to watch him.
"I think if he puts some weight on and gets a little stronger, he can be there, for sure."
It might be the only area the 6-foot-1, 168-pounder has to improve to make a successful jump, suggested Toronto Maple Leafs center Tomas Plekanec.
"He's quite a talent," said Plekanec, also a teammate of Necas at the World Championship. "He's great. He's a good player. From what I've seen he's a great skater. He's a tall guy. He has to get a little bit stronger and a little better.
"He's going to adjust to that very easily, I'm sure. He's a good player."
His development has come together quickly.
"Basically in the last two years," said Jiri Fischer, general manager for the Czech Republic and a veteran of 305 NHL games from 1999-2006 as a defenseman with the Detroit Red Wings. "He's certainly one of the most improved players in Central Europe. That's across the board.
"He wants to play. He wants the puck. He wants to skate. He wants to make things happen. And he's not afraid to make things happen. Many young players, they get into an environment that could be intimidating ��� it could be the national team or the NHL, and they become a little hesitant and they're in different roles than they're used to because generally the young stars, potential players, they grow up playing with the puck and all of a sudden they're in much more competitive teams with a lot more depth of talent, and their role changes. For Martin, he's been outstanding."

Necas understands there's still more to do before he reaches the NHL full-time.
"I've got to work hard in the gym and get stronger, and improve all my skills on the ice," Necas said. "Everything. Like I did before."
It's the right approach, according to Vegas Golden Knights forward prospect
Tomas Hyka
, another Czech Republic teammate.
"The first thing is that when you get drafted really high, it doesn't matter if you were a second- or third-round pick, you have to practice and compete hard and get better to get to the next level," said Hyka, who had three points (one goal, two assists) in 10 games with the Golden Knights this season. "I've seen it with so many guys. They get drafted in the first or second round and never make it to the NHL. It's obviously really nice, but you have to make that step to make the NHL.
"I think he's really close. He's got to get a little bit stronger and get more responsible and I think he has the offensive skills and everything. He's pretty good defensively as well. He's good. He's a really good young player. He's got energy, skills, everything."