The Buffalo Sabers were among the teams linked to Carolina Hurricanes forward Martin Necas this summer. However, a trade centered around the 2017 first-round pick is highly unlikely at this point, as he signed a two-year, $13 million contract with the Hurricanes on Monday.
Related: Sabers and Hurricanes Could Make Trade Blockbuster
Although Necas stays in Carolina, the Sabers came close to acquiring him.
According to NHL insider Frank SeravalliThe Sabers and Hurricanes agreed to a Necas-centered trade, but it fell through because he was unwilling to sign with Buffalo.
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Seravalli didn’t specify what the Sabers would have sent to Carolina for Necas, but noted what the Winnipeg Jets offered to try to land him. Seravalli shared that the Jets offered top prospect Rutger McGroarty, former first-rounder Cole Perfetti and a draft pick for Necas.
There’s no doubt that Necas would have been a spectacular addition to the Sabres’ top six. However, with the skilled winger unwilling to sign a contract with the Sabres, it was best for them to go in a different direction.
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Some of the top six wings are still in the rumor mill, like Nikolaj Ehlers, Trevor Zegras and Patrik Laine. However, it will be more difficult to make a deal as it will be at the end of the summer.
However, while it would have been nice to land a big fish like Necas, the Sabers have some young, promising players who could compete for top-six spots in training camp. Veteran winger Jason Zucker should also receive some consideration. It will be interesting to see from here what the Sabers do with the top six next season.
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