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Martin Necas and Seth Jarvis each is a restricted free agent, and signing each forward to a new contract is the primary focus for the Carolina Hurricanes after they terminated the contract of forward Evgeny Kuznetsov on Thursday, general manager Eric Tulsky said.

Necas and Jarvis are the last pieces of unfinished business for Carolina after restricted free agent forward Jack Drury signed a two-year, $3.45 million contract (average annual value of $1.725 million) on Wednesday to avoid a salary arbitration hearing. Necas has a salary arbitration hearing scheduled for Aug. 4, so there is more urgency than with Jarvis, who was not eligible for arbitration.

Tulsky mentioned that they are in ongoing discussions with Necas’s agent, aiming to reach a mutually beneficial agreement. While both parties would prefer to avoid a hearing, they recognize that arbitration offers a solution if they cannot come to a resolution. In such a case, a neutral third party would intervene to settle the matter. Ultimately, the situation will be resolved, regardless of the chosen path.

During the regular season, Necas showcased his skills with 53 points, consisting of 24 goals and 29 assists, across 77 games. In the Stanley Cup Playoffs, he continued to excel, contributing nine points with four goals and five assists in just 11 games. Unfortunately, Carolina’s journey came to an end in the Eastern Conference Second Round, where they lost in six games to the New York Rangers.

Necas’ agent and Tulsky have engaged in negotiations regarding contract durations, after the 25-year-old completed his previous two-year deal worth $6 million ($3 million AAV), which was signed on August 9, 2022.

Tulsky stated that they have considered all possibilities, ranging from one to eight years. Therefore, the focus now lies in determining if there is a mutually beneficial solution.

Necas, who was selected as the No. 12 pick by Carolina in the 2017 NHL Draft, has accumulated an impressive total of 243 points (97 goals and 146 assists) throughout his career. This includes 362 regular-season games played over the course of seven seasons. Additionally, he has contributed 30 points (11 goals and 19 assists) in 59 playoff games.

According to reports, he expressed his desire for a trade after the season. However, it appears probable that he will continue his tenure with Carolina, at least at the start of the season.

According to Tulsky, making trades becomes significantly easier before July 1 because teams have more flexibility to sign new players and adjust their roster to compensate for any traded assets. However, after July 1, when the majority of the roster is already set, it becomes more challenging to find suitable trade deals due to limited flexibility. Despite this, Tulsky emphasized the ongoing efforts to engage in discussions with other teams, as the goal remains to enhance the team’s performance.

Despite the absence of an arbitration hearing date to expedite the process with Jarvis, Tulsky remains confident that he will be re-signed.

Tulsky expressed that the task will be completed in due time. “His desire is to remain here indefinitely, and we share the same sentiment. It’s merely a matter of finding common ground on the appropriate figure.”

In his third NHL season, Jarvis, who was chosen as the No. 13 pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, achieved remarkable milestones by registering 33 goals, 34 assists, and 67 points across 81 games. Moreover, during the playoffs, he showcased his talent by accumulating nine points, including five goals and four assists, in just 11 games.

After completing his three-year, $2.775 million entry-level contract with an average annual value (AAV) of $925,000, the 22-year-old is now considering various options for his future. While the ultimate aim is to secure Jarvis for a long-term contract, Tulsky mentioned that exploring a shorter-term bridge deal initially is one of the possibilities under discussion.

He mentioned that there are two potential scenarios – a short-term deal followed by a longer-term one, or a direct long-term agreement. There are multiple approaches to achieve this, but no one doubts his commitment to staying for the long run. The main focus is on structuring the contract to ensure that happens.

Tulsky, who was promoted from assistant GM to replace Don Waddell as interim GM on May 24 before being named to the position on a full-time basis June 18, acknowledged things have slowed down after a frantically busy start to the offseason in which much of the Hurricanes roster has been retooled. Kuznetsov was the latest player to depart following forwards Jake Guentzel (traded to and signed with Tampa Bay Lightning), Teuvo Teravainen (signed with Chicago Blackhawks) and Stefan Noesen (signed with New Jersey Devils), and defensemen Brady Skjei (signed with Nashville Predators) and Brett Pesce (signed with Devils).

Carolina was able to replace some of what it lost by re-signing unrestricted free agent defensemen Sean Walker (five years, $3.6 million AAV) and Shayne Gostisbehere (three years, $3.2 million AAV), and forwards William Carrier (six years, $2 million AAV), Jack Roslovic (one year, $2.8 million), Eric Robinson (one year, $950,000) and Tyson Jost (one year, $775,000).

Kuznetsov had one year left on his contract with the Washington Capitals, which he had signed on July 2, 2017, for a total of $62.4 million over eight years. The contract had an average annual value of $7.8 million. After being traded to Carolina on March 8 in exchange for a third-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, Washington agreed to retain 50 percent of Kuznetsov’s salary, leaving Carolina responsible for $3.9 million.

In 20 regular-season games with Carolina, Kuznetsov contributed seven points, including two goals and five assists. During the playoffs, he recorded six points, with four goals and two assists in 10 games. Tulsky expressed doubt that the Hurricanes would utilize the freed-up salary cap from terminating Kuznetsov’s contract to acquire a new center through signing or trading.

Tulsky stated that he believes our current situation is satisfactory. Presently, our priority is finalizing contracts for our remaining restricted free agents. Additionally, we are in ongoing discussions with other teams regarding potential trades and assessing available options. As there is still time in the summer, we are thoroughly exploring all possibilities to enhance our team. However, unless an unexpected opportunity arises, it is highly probable that we will stick with our current group.