KK is locked, Necas is not, better to make Necas work for that opportunity and make it KK's job to lose. I also think KK is probably the better C at this time (better a bit in the circle, not sure about the analytics, and positional play, but that could be the main reason why people put him ahead). Capfriendly also suggests that Necas was playing RW more than C last year.

Necas's deal is fair to both sides. KK had leverage and could have walked as UFA, unless the Canes came up with a long term deal. After giving up a first and third to obtain KK, Wadell needed to save face and get more than one year of KK for those those two picks. Yea, it looks like KK deal isn't so good for the Canes. But we'll see how the next eight years go to see how it works out for all parties.

Carolina has a big analytics department and Necas has been pretty terrible analytically the past 2 seasons (at least using public models)

Last year he was
-Dead last on the team in xGF% with 49.35%, which is a whole 3.73 percentage points below the next worst player
-Dead last in the entire league (500+ minutes played) in RelTM xG differential/60 with -0.66

Kotkaniemi isnt great either but hes been better than Necas

Could he have? I’m pretty sure he would have been an RFA as he didn’t play 7 seasons under contract.

KK played his worst last season at winger so to get most out of him need to play him as a C. They committed to him long term (we’ll see how that pans out, too early to tell) and bc of that it seems like the team has seen enough and their internal models back up that he can carry the load at 2C.

Necas is a natural C but has played predominately winger for the canes. A lot of that is bc they generally don’t like to rush young players into C and there was plenty of C depth while Necas has been around.

Necas has stated he wants to get back to playing pivot and believes that would unlock another level and add consistency to his game. He had a rough go of it last year by his standards and seemed to be pressing. Seems like he’s a bit in RBAs doghouse and RBA said that Necas knows exactly what he needs to do to play the position. Reading between the lines it seems like Necas needs to earn trust back and beat KK out for the spot.

Little bit of healthy in house competition is good for a contender. I think they’ll both get plenty of time at 2C and RBA will experiment especially during first half of the year. Injuries and slumps will also occur throughout the year and probably in the playoffs, these things tend to work themselves out imo.

Necas go vroom vroom tho

I presume the last poster was pointing out they didn't want to give him his qo

Do you have the source for that? I can't zoom in

I just find it interesting that people talk about necas as a young player when he's 18 months older than KK. But frankly both are young players

The QO I believe would have been 6.1m. The notion was was that KK and the canes had an under the table agreement after the OS for a long term deal and clearly it was talked about before because as soon as the extension window opened up, KK signed that long term deal. I’m pretty sure he knew he would have to take a pay cut after the OS year.

I dont have a source I made it myself with data from evolving hockey and patrick bacon. I can send you the picture on twitter or something if you want to zoom in

edit: or you can download the image and zoom in

What’s crazy is KK is still long 22. It feels like he’s been in the league forever already.

I'll download it. Thanks!

People who enter the league young are judged oddly. He's 18 months younger than necas

Yeah but theoretically he could have just kept taking his os and walked to Ufa at 6 million

Probably to make themselves feel better for the offer sheet and 8 year contract

It's a 6.1m QO that the Canes weren't going to offer that would have made him a UFA.