Carolina Hurricanes: 2 Bounce-Back Candidates for Next Season

Each year, we see players around the NHL bounce back from rough seasons. The 2024-25 campaign should offer more of the same, so in this latest series for NHL Trade Rumors, we will take a look at a few bounce-back candidates from every NHL club.

In this latest edition of the series, we will be taking a look at the Carolina Hurricanes.

Martin Necas: What a summer it was for Hurricanes forward Martin Necas. The skilled winger was the subject of trade rumors throughout the summer, but the Hurricanes did not receive any offers they felt were acceptable. As a result, Necas ended up signing a two-year, $13 million contract with the Hurricanes. Now, the 25-year-old will look to bounce back from what was a down year offensively for his standards. In 77 games, he had 24 goals and 53 points last season. However, when noting that he posted a 71-point campaign in 2022-23, he has the potential to be a bigger force again.

Jesperi Kotkaniemi: Jesperi Kotkaniemi had a strong 2022-23 season, recording career-highs with 18 goals, 25 assists, and 43 points in 82 games. However, instead of building on his breakout year in 2023-24, he took a step backward, recording 12 goals and 27 points in 79 games. Overall, it was an underwhelming year for the 24-year-old, and now he will look to get things back on track next season.