Hurricanes GM Waddell: Deal with RFA Necas 'getting close'
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Carolina Hurricanes general manager Don Waddell said Thursday he is closing on a new contract with restricted free agent Martin Necas.
“We’re speaking on almost a daily basis and it’s getting close,” Waddell told the Raleigh News and Observer. “I can only speak for my side of it, but it’s going to get done.”
Necas, 23, scored 14 goals and posted 40 points in 78 games last season as he played out the final year of his entry-level deal. A first-round pick of the Hurricanes in 2017, Necas has 45 goals and 119 points in 203 career NHL games.
Chip Alexander of the News and Observer reports the deal is expected to be worth roughly $3 million per season on a two-year term. The Hurricanes, however, have just $1.88 million in cap space, per CapFriendly, with restricted free agent Maxime Lajoie still to sign.
Waddell said Thursday he would consider using the league's second buyout window this month to free cap space, but added it's not a necessity.
“A buyout window is only for a player who makes more than $4 million,” Waddell said. “But if we don’t do anything, we’re going to be fine. It will be tight but we’ll be fine.”
Speculation regarding a buyout has surrounded defenceman Jake Gardiner, who is set to return this season after missing the entire 2021-22 campaign due to hip and back surgeries. The 32-year-old is entering the final year of his current contract carrying a cap hit of $4.05 million.
After reaching the playoffs for the fourth straight season, the Hurricanes made several additions to their roster this summer, adding Brent Burns, Max Pacioretty, Ondrej Kase among their off-season moves after parting ways with Vincent Trocheck, Nino Niederreiter and Tony DeAngelo.