Tweetmail No. 184: Ward, Necas & Predictions

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Tweetmail is a weekly feature on CarolinaHurricanes.com in which I take your Twitter questions about the Carolina Hurricanes or other assorted topics and answer them in mailbag form. Hopefully the final product is insightful to some degree, and maybe we have some fun along the way.
Let's get to it.

Tweet from @MCrossover_3: What is your assessment of Cam Ward���s play this season? Was he a big enough contributer to earn another contract with the team?
Before we do a deep dive into all the nuances of your questions, here's a quick answer: yes, Cam Ward deserves a new contract with the Canes.
Heading into the 2017-18 season, Ward was positioned as a back-up goaltender for the first time since his rookie season in the NHL. It's a role that the veteran netminder was willing to accept.
"When I came into the year, it was clear my role changed. It was something I embraced and wanted to handle appropriately," he said in his end-of-season interview. "I'm comfortable with where I am in my career that I could be a real solid No. 2."

Early on, he was a real solid No. 2. Ward started seven of the team's first 25 games of the season. He won four of those games, turned in a real nice performance in another and had two clunkers in that stretch.
Because of Scott Darling's struggles, though, the Hurricanes had to lean more heavily on Ward in the second half of the season. Even in December when Ward began to start in games more regularly, he was real solid. He won six straight starts in the back half of December, as the team won seven of nine games to finish the calendar year.
Ward ended the season with a 23-14-4 record, a 2.73 goals-against average and a .906 save percentage. Those last two stats won't knock anyone's socks off - his goals-against average was his worst in a season since 2013-14 and his save percentage hovered around his average over the last few years - but he won nearly 55 percent of the games he started, the highest mark since he won nine of his 16 starts in the shortened 2012-13 campaign.
As a back-up, that's not too bad.
"I feel like I did that job that was asked of me to do, and I'd like to have that opportunity to do it again," Ward said. "Everybody knows I love playing here. I take pride in being a Carolina Hurricane. I've certainly enjoyed my time here, and I'd like to keep that going."
Ward knows the feeling has to be mutual, so we'll see how the front office decides to move forward this summer. Ward is currently set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

I'd say there's a real good chance Martin Necas will be on the Hurricanes' roster next season.
We got a brief glimpse of Necas' talent when he remained with the Canes through the first two weeks of the season. He only drew into the lineup for a game, but his experience with the team in training camp, the preseason and the first six games of the season - a stretch that included a weeklong road trip - should help him adjust to life in the NHL more seamlessly in 2018-19.

Since rejoining HC Kometa Brno in the Czech Extraliga in late October, Necas has assembled a real solid season. He notched 17 points (9g, 8a) in 24 regular season games and has been a key factor in Brno's playoff run so far. Brno swept their first round series and took round two in five games, and Necas tallied seven points (3g, 4a) in those nine games. Brno is now set for the best-of-seven final series, which begins April 14, as they look to defend their title from a season ago.
Necas also represented his home country at the 2018 IIHF World Junior Championship and was one of the tournament's top players, despite his team losing to the United States in the bronze medal match. Necas was tied for the tournament lead in scoring with 11 points and paced all tournament skaters with eight assists.
Could the 2018 IIHF World Championship in May be next for Necas? I could see that happening.
Then, it's Prospects Development Camp. Then, the NHL Prospects Tournament in Traverse City, Mich. Then, training camp, preseason and beyond, where I could definitely see him sticking around for a lot longer than mid-October this season.
Tweet from @Tiberious_Nero: Who is your bandwagon team to win the Stanley Cup?
I'm not jumping on any bandwagon, but I can break down some of my picks, picks that are guaranteed to be lukewarm at best, because that's what always happen.
I think the Stanley Cup Champion is coming out of the West this year, and it's going to be the winner of the Central Division bracket's semifinal round, which, in all likelihood, will pit the Nashville Predators against the Winnipeg Jets. And the fact that this is a semifinal match-up and not the Western Conference Final is a travesty and a downfall of the current playoff format. I think the Predators survive that round and advance to the Western Conference Final and then the Stanley Cup Final. They're good. Very good. Too good, even.
In the East, I think Tampa Bay has a decent shot of making another run to the Final, but you can never count Pittsburgh out at this time of year. The Penguins might not have the talent they've had in previous years, but they've been here before. A three-peat would be some kind of feat, but I think it's an outside chance. And what about the Capitals? Is this the year they finally figure it out? I'm not so sure.
I'll go Predators vs. Lightning in the Final (I know, I know, 1 vs. 1) with the Predators taking home the Cup this year.
Tweet from @DaneFrazier: Since the black jerseys are able to exist again, will they make a comeback next season?
I last teased the possibility of a third jersey revival for the Canes a couple of months ago in
Tweetmail No. 175
, and I'm not sure I have anything further to report at this time.
Just know this: third jerseys will begin to be reintroduced around the league in time for the 2018-19 season. This summer should be fun.
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Join me next week for more questions and more answers!
If you have a question you'd like answered or you want to kibitz about the latest trailer for "Solo," you can find me on Twitter at
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