Carolina Hurricanes: The Youthful Combo of Martin and Andrei

Two Carolina Hurricanes first round picks, who have completely dictated the Hurricanes this season, but just who are Martin Necas and Andrei Svechnikov?

As a Hurricanes fan, I would like to ensure you that these are two names to get used to, because we will be hearing them for a long time in Raleigh, and across the league. Martin Necas and Andrei Svechnikov are two players with incredibly high upsides, and two players who are already starting to leave their mark on the Carolina Hurricanes franchise.

Svechnikov was the second overall pick in the 2018 NHL entry draft, where the Canes jumped up from near the bottom to take the Russian. Quickly, the young 6’s 200 lbs man took over the OHL with tha Barrie Colts. In his one season in the OHL, he had 40 goals and32 helpers for 72 points in just 44 games. Svechnikov had a wrist injury that cut his season short, but made quite the impact.

At the World Junior Championships that offseason, Andrei Svechnikov had 5 assists. This was at an under 20 level for someone who had turned 18 just months earlier in that March.

He also put up two goals and five assists at the U20 international level outside of the World Junior Championships, and just looked like a man against kids at the U18 level with four goals and four helpers for eight points in just four games

In the NHL, he posted 30 points in his rookie eyar, with 20 goals, all of them at even strength. This year so far to this point Andrei Svechnikov boasts ten goals and thirteen assists for 23 points through 21 games. Yes Andrei Svechnikov has been an absolute beast this year. He leads the team in goals, and is joint top with points with Dougie Hamilton, who’s had a beast of a year in his own right.

Everyone knows the success levels of Svechnikov, but someone who may have flown under the radar until this season is the young Czech Republic forward Martin Necas. The year of his draft (2017) he put up 15 points in 41 games in the Czech mens league.

More from Cardiac Cane

• 2023 Southeast Rookie Showcase: Takeaways from the Canes’ Strong Showing in Florida
• Week Two Coverage Of College Hockey In NC
• Derek Stepan Ends His On Ice Career As A Hurricane
• The Southeast Rookie Showcase Will Be a Good Look at Carolina’s Future
• Noesen Ready To Provide Depth For Canes

At the U18’s that year for the Czech Republic, he put up four goals and nine assists for 13 points in 15 games. At the U20 level, he recorded 8 games with two goals and four assists.

Necas played his first NHL games in 2017-18, but was then sent back to the Czech Republic. He posted nine goals and eight assists for 17 points in 24 games for HC Kometa Brno that season. He would record 2 U19 games for the Czech republic with 1 assist. U20 he recorded 15 games with 4 goals and 10 assists. At the mens level, he had 3 goals 3 assists in 9 games.

Last season, Necas managed to stick in North America. He played in seven NHL games, recording a goal and an assist. He would then be sent down to Charlotte where he would really come into his own.

He managed 16 goals and 36 assists for 52 points in 64 games with the Checkers. He also recorded five goals and eight assists for 13 points in 18 playoff games as the Checkers won the Calder Cup.

For the Czech republic that year, Necas would notch five under-20 games. He would tally a goal and three assists for four points at the World Juniors, and one goal and two assists in other tournaments for the Czech Republic. He had cemented himself as a fine player. Now, he just needed to make the NHL jump.

Necas’ first full year in the NHL is this year. Martin Necas has certainly not disappointed, recording five goals and ten assists for fifteen points through 21 games. He’s been mainly on the 3rd line with Erik Haula and Ryan Dzingel, but has looked right at home in the big time league for a big time player.

Question for Cardiac Cane readers: How lucky are we to have Andrei Svechnikov? Should Martin Necas be in the calder conversation?