Carolina Hurricanes forward Martin Necas took part in the NHL's European Media Tour in Sweden two weeks ago in August. One of his appearances was on the 32 Thoughts Podcast with Elliotte Friedman and Jeff Marek. 

In it, Necas discussed his relationship with Rod Brind'Amour, the Erik Haula situation and working on his mental health. 

Necas hasn't been shy about discussing his work last summer with a mental coach whom he credits for a large part of his bounce-back season.

"I tried in the summer to work with my mental coach a lot to be more just... You know hockey isn't just about having good skill, being a good skater," Necas said on the podcast. "At least half of the game is in your head I feel like. If you're mentally prepared, I feel like that makes a big difference and that's one of the things I tried to change before last season and I feel like it's one of the reasons why I had a good season because I was mentally ready for every game."

The 2021-22 campaign was a tough one for Necas as the Czech put up just 40 points in 78 games and only five assists in 14 postseason games. 

Following that season, Necas commented how he felt he was in his own head perhaps a little too much and constantly thinking about how he needed to get on the scoresheet.

However, after working with a mental coach, Necas had a tremendous bounce back last season, leading the Hurricanes in scoring with 28 goals and 71 points along with four goals and seven points in 15 playoff games.

"I worked on my mental, just not playing in waves, but being more consistent and on the same page most every game," Necas said. "I just came into camp feeling really good and started the season well. Then I got on the first power play, playing with the goalie pulled, overtimes and just started producing a little bit. I earned the trust a little bit from Roddy. The confidence does big things."

Gaining that trust from Rod Brind'Amour was another aspect of Necas' game that had to be built up.

As with a lot of young, offensively gifted players, Necas had to learn to mitigate the risks he was taking and play more within the system.

"Obviously you've gotta earn the spot from him," Necas said. "He always wants everyone to work hard, which I feel like everyone on our team does. For me, I feel like it was more... I felt like I got a little better on defense and then offensively, once you play good defense, he gives you a little more freedom offensively.

"The more you score, the more freedom you get. I feel like that's normal everywhere and for every team. Obviously, you have to play the structured game. You have to play defensive how everyone else plays, but offensively, once you get the puck in the O-zone, he tells you that you have the freedom to do some stuff. Obviously, you don't want to have turnovers, especially on the bluelines, but once you get into the O-zone or on the rush, then you're free to do whatever you want. Once you are feeling good about yourself, feeling confident, then you don't really think about these mistakes and you just play the game and having fun. For me personally, when I'm having fun, I'm playing my best."

A lot of people saw the relationship between Brind'Amour and Necas as a bit tenuous following the 2021-22 season because of a comment made by Necas during his exit interviews stating that he and his coach 'needed to trust each other more.' 

However, the relationship stayed strong and both sides gained a stronger sense of trust throughout last season. Necas put his head down and worked at his game and as he showed his work on the ice, Brind'Amour entrusted him with bigger minutes and more responsibility in all situations, even giving Necas PK time.

Necas further expanded on what the player-coach relationship is like with Brind'Amour.

"Everyone thinks when you see him that he's yelling all the time, but in the locker room, he's a really nice guy," Necas said. "He's nice to talk to. He doesn't yell often. He only yells once or twice a season like when we really need it on the bench or when we're playing a bad game, but I feel like for him, once we work really hard and we play 100%, that even if we lose, it's fine. But once you don't give it your all, then he's mad. Sometimes you get those clips where he's yelling at the refs and stuff, that's different. For us in the locker room... he played the game, he knows how it works. He only yells when it's really needed. 

"To be honest, his speeches are incredible. I feel like he always prepares them for every game. It's always a little different. Not just about hockey, but about life too. It feels like it's a special gift that he has and he always motivates us with something else."

Another topic that was brought up on the podcast was Erik Haula.

 After playing 41 games for Carolina in the 2019-20 season, Haula quickly became a villain in Raleigh. It all started in the 2020 playoffs when he was playing for the Nashville Predators and started to target Necas repeatedly. 

"I feel like every time he plays against us, he tries to play hard," Necas said. "Obviously, he plays gritty and there were people always booing him in Carolina once he touches the puck. It was the first year after he left, he played for Nashville and we played him the playoffs and me and him, we were kind of having something against each other and since then people are somehow booing him."

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0naHFYkgMk[/embed]

Then first-round was with the Boston Bruins and played Carolina in another first round matchup and then in 2022 with the New Jersey Devils, he squared up against the Canes again. Every time, Haula was on the losing side.

"It's just something with he hasn't beaten us yet with three different teams," Necas said. "But after last series, we talked and he said he has to do that. That's the way he plays. After the series, he was fine."

The Haula saga even took another turn this offseason when he was spotted sporting a 'CANES SUCK' charm bracelet.

[embed]https://www.instagram.com/p/p:Cvw8VjEgUHb[/embed]

"I just saw that he had some bracelet with something like 'Canes Suck' or something like that," Necas said. "I mean, just excited to play against him again. I'm going to give him a new one, 'I love Canes.'"

The full interview can be viewed here.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gGpgItc9Rs[/embed]