Report: Canucks, Bruins Interested In Acquiring Same Player

The Boston Bruins and Vancouver Canucks could find themselves in a bidding war for the same player on the NHL trade market.

It’s no secret that the Bruins, via the NHL trade and/or free agent markets, would like to acquire more scoring and get younger in doing so.

“We are in a situation where we can look to add to our core group of guys,” Boston Bruins general manager Don Sweeney told the media last Wednesday. “We’re going to be aggressive, you know, to complement what we currently have in some areas.”

The Bruins have $20.5 million in salary cap space to do just that and they’re already being linked to some big names on the NHL trade market. One of those players in demand is Carolina Hurricanes center Martin Necas. The 25-year-old, who was drafted 12th overall at the 2017 NHKL Entry Draft just finished out a two-year, $6 million ($3M AAV) contract and is set to become a restricted free agent. Various reports have Necas and the Hurricanes at an impasse on his value to the team, and word is he could be one of the first players traded by the Hurricanes’ new interim general manager Eric Tulsky.

Just prior to Don Waddell resigning as the President and General Manager of the Hurricanes this past Friday, Sportsnet NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman indicated to 32 Thoughts Podcast co-host Jeff Marek that the Bruins and Hurricanes have had prior NHL trade discussions involving Necas, and Boston Bruins goalie Linus Ullmark.

“I do believe the Bruins and the Hurricanes talked about a Ullmark deal,” Friedman said. “Now, I don’t know if it involved Necas. But I do think they talked about something. … Now, number one, it has to be recognized that Ullmark would have to be able to go there. I don’t know where Carolina is or is not on his [no-trade] list. But I do believe it’s something these two teams talked about.

I do think it’s likely [Necas] gets moved. I just think that he and the Hurricanes don’t see each other in the same value. But we’ll see how it all works out. I mean, on paper, that makes sense to me, but just talking on paper. I think there’s a lot of teams that are going to be looking at Necas and trying to find out what he wants. He’s a good player, and Carolina’s gonna have some options here.”

However, Friedman also believes the Bruins could get into a potential bidding war for Necas with the team they beat in the 2011 Stanley Cup Final, the Vancouver Canucks. Friedman reported that the 6-foot-2, 200-pound center was part of prior trade discussions between Vancouver and Carolina that were focused on current Canucks center Elias Pettersson.

“Remember when all that Pettersson drama hit about whether he was going to sign or not sign, and Vancouver talked with Carolina? Necas was in that deal,” Friedman said. “I wonder if there’s a Necas deal to be made there with Vancouver. Carolina’s got a lot of D they need to sign; what if they look at someone like (Filip) Hronek making more sense for them? That’s the kind of thing I’m wondering about now.”

After a career-high in goals (28), assists (43), and points with 71 in 82 games during the 2022-23 regular season, Necas had 24 goals and 29 assists for 53 points in 77 games. Necas had a strong run in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs with four goals and five assists in 11 playoff games. That followed up four goals and three goals in the Hurricanes’ 15-game run to Game 4 of the 2023 Eastern Conference Final. Necas is currently playing for Czechia, alongside Boston Bruins superstar winger David Pastrnak and forward Pavel Zacha, at the 2024 IIHF World Championships in Prague. Necas had a goal and three assists in a 7-3 win over Sweden on Saturday to help Czechia advance to the final against Switzerland on Sunday.