Martin Nečas

Martin Nečas (; born 15 January 1999) is a Czech professional ice hockey centre who currently plays with the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League (NHL). Nečas made his professional debut with HC Kometa Brno in 2016, and played a prominent role on the team as they won the league championship. Internationally Nečas plays for the Czech Republic, and first played in an IIHF tournament in 2016. Regarded as a top prospect for the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, he was selected 12th overall by the Hurricanes, and he played one game for the team in 2017 before being loaned back to Brno.
==Playing career==
===Junior===
In 2012 Nečas participated in the Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with a youth team from Chomutov. A standout junior player, Nečas led the Czech U-16 league in scoring in 2014–15 with 91 points in 34 games, split between the junior teams of SKLH Žďár nad Sázavou and HC Kometa Brno. His production decreased in 2015–16 due to missing games from injuries and illness, appearing in only 18 games, with 9 goals and 21 assists. He made his professional debut with Brno in 2016, joining the senior team in the Czech Extraliga.
At the conclusion of the Czech Extraliga season and prior to the start of the playoffs for HC Kometa, Nečas was loaned to SK Horácká Slavia Třebíč of the 1st Czech Republic Hockey League, the second level of Czech hockey, for their playoff series, playing in their final game. Nečas appeared in 41 games for Brno during the 2016–17 season, recording 15 points. During the playoffs he scored another 4 goals in 10 games, second best on the team, and helped Brno reach the final. However he was unable to play in the final as he was instead sent to the 2017 IIHF World U18 Championships; Brno ultimately won the championship.
When the NHL Central Scouting Bureau released its mid-term rankings of eligible prospects for the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, Nečas was listed as the fifth best international skater. He maintained this position on the final list released after the conclusion of the regular season. Scouts considered him an undersized forward, but smart and someone who has good offensive instincts and a strong skater. Following his selection by the Hurricanes, 12th overall, Nečas was later signed to a three-year, entry-level contract with Carolina on July 15, 2017.
===NHL===
Initially it was expected that Nečas would not join the Hurricanes immediately, and instead was expected to either return to the Czech Republic, or play for the Hurricanes American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate Charlotte Checkers, or the Saginaw Spirit of the major junior Ontario Hockey League (OHL), who selected him in the Canadian Hockey League Import Draft in 2017. His play at the Hurricanes training camp, where he demonstrated his skill and earned a roster spot. The decision to keep Nečas with the team was aided due both to an injury to veteran Lee Stempniak, and that Nečas could play up to nine regular season games in the NHL before it counted against one year of his contract. Though named to the roster, Nečas was a healthy scratch and only practiced with the team, and his NHL debut came October 17 against the Edmonton Oilers. Nečas remained on the Hurricanes roster until October 23, 2017, though did not appear in any more games, when he was returned on loan to continue his development in Brno. Nečas had 17 points in 24 games, leading junior-aged players in scoring, and helped Brno win the Czech Extraliga championship for a second year in a row.
Nečas started the 2018–19 season with the Hurricanes in the NHL. On 16 October 2018, he recorded his first career NHL goal on a pass from fellow rookie Warren Foegele in a 4–2 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning. After seven games with the Hurricanes, where he had one goal and one assist, Nečas was assigned to the team's American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate.
Considered the top prospect in Carolina's system going into the 2019–20 season, Nečas would open the season on the NHL squad. He would go on to score a power play goal in the season-opening win against the Montreal Canadiens.
==International play==
 
Nečas first played internationally with the Czech U-17 team at the 2015 World U-17 Hockey Challenge, where he served as captain and recorded five points in five games, leading his team in scoring. He again was captain for the Czechs at the 2016 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament, an invitational tournament, where he finished seventh overall in scoring with six points in four games, helping the team win gold. He later made his debut in an International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) tournament at the 2017 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, where he had three points for the Czechs. He also participated at the 2017 IIHF World U18 Championships, serving as captain of the Czech team, and had three assists in five games as the Czechs lost in the quarter-finals.
Nečas led the 2018 World Juniors with 8 assists and tied for the scoring lead (with Casey Mittelstadt of the United States) with 11 points, helping the Czechs to a fourth-place finish. He was again named to the senior team for the 2018 IIHF World Championship, finishing with 5 points in 7 games. The Hurricanes lent Nečas to the 2019 World Juniors, where he served as captain of the Czech team.
==Career statistics==
===Regular season and playoffs===
 	 	 		Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season		Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs
Season 	Team 	League 		GP 	G 	A 	Pts 	PIM 		GP 	G 	A 	Pts 	PIM
2013–14 	SKLH Žďár nad Sázavou 	Czech.16 		36 	29 	29 	58 	14 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2014–15 	SKLH Žďár nad Sázavou 	Czech.16 		25 	24 	47 	71 	10 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2014–15 	Kometa Brno 	Czech.16 		9 	8 	12 	20 	4 		4 	4 	5 	9 	2
2014–15 	Kometa Brno 	Czech.18 		4 	1 	2 	3 	4 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2015–16 	Kometa Brno 	Czech.18 		18 	9 	21 	30 	14 		10 	4 	11 	15 	6
2016–17 	Kometa Brno 	Czech.20 		1 	1 	2 	3 	4 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2016–17 	Kometa Brno 	ELH 		41 	7 	8 	15 	6 		10 	4 	0 	4 	8
2016–17 	SK Horácká Slavia Třebíč	Czech.1 		— 	— 	— 	— 	— 		1 	0 	0 	0 	0
2017–18 	Carolina Hurricanes 	NHL 		1 	0 	0 	0 	0 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2017–18 	Kometa Brno 	ELH 		24 	9 	8 	17 	6 		14 	4 	5 	9 	6
2018–19 	Carolina Hurricanes 	NHL 		7 	1 	1 	2 	2 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2018–19 	Charlotte Checkers 	AHL 		64 	16 	36 	52 	36 		18 	5 	8 	13 	6
2019–20 	Carolina Hurricanes 	NHL 		64 	16 	20 	36 	20 		8 	1 	3 	4 	0
ELH totals	ELH totals 	ELH totals		65 	16 	16 	32 	12 		24 	8 	5 	13 	14
NHL totals	NHL totals 	NHL totals		72 	17 	21 	38 	22 		8 	1 	3 	4 	0
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
===International===
Year 	Team 	Event 	Result 		GP	G 	A 	Pts	PIM
2015 	Czech Republic	U17 	6th 		5 	4 	1 	5 	4
2016 	Czech Republic	IH18 	 		4 	2 	4 	6 	2
2017 	Czech Republic	WJC 	6th 		5 	1 	2 	3 	2
2017 	Czech Republic	U18 	7th 		5 	0 	3 	3 	4
2018 	Czech Republic	WJC 	4th 		7 	3 	8 	11 	0
2018 	Czech Republic	WC 	7th 		7 	3 	2 	5 	0
2019 	Czech Republic	WJC 	7th 		5 	1 	3 	4 	18
Junior totals	Junior totals 	Junior totals	Junior totals		31	11	21	32 	30
Senior totals	Senior totals 	Senior totals	Senior totals		7 	3 	2 	5 	0
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
==Awards and honors==
Award 	Year 	
ELH 	ELH 	ELH
Rookie of the Year 	2017 	
Champion (HC Kometa Brno) 	2017, 2018	
Zlatá helma Sencor (MVP) 	2018 	
AHL 	AHL 	AHL
Calder Cup (Charlotte Checkers)	2019 	
==References==
==External links==
* 
Category:1999 births
Category:Carolina Hurricanes draft picks
Category:Carolina Hurricanes players
Category:Charlotte Checkers (2010–) players
Category:Czech ice hockey centres
Category:HC Kometa Brno players
Category:National Hockey League first round draft picks
Category:SK Horácká Slavia Třebíč players