Kaut's Friendship With Necas Transcends From Czech Republic

RALEIGH, N.C.--Martin Kaut's friends and family are a big part of his life.
He often calls fellow Czech Pavel Francouz his father, as the Colorado Avalanche goaltender looked out for him during their first seasons in North America last year with the Colorado Eagles. His older brother, Tomas, was a role model of his while growing up in the Czech Republic, and it was special for Kaut to score his first NHL goal on Wednesday against the Buffalo Sabres with his mom in attendance at Pepsi Center.
Kaut's family has paid close attention to his career over the last two years while he's played half a world away in the United States, but his best friend and "brother," Martin Necas of the Carolina Hurricanes, has kept close tabs as well.

Necas, 21, is nine months older than Kaut, 20, and was drafted by the Hurricanes at No. 12 overall in 2017, one year before the Avs picked their Czech forward with the 16th pick. The two players grew up playing on many of the same teams together in both organized and pick-up games, as Necas lived just across the street from Kaut in Brno, Czech Republic.
Friday marks their first matchup against one another in NHL, as Kaut's Avalanche takes on Necas' Hurricanes.
"It will be fun to play against him, it will be my first time (in the NHL)," Kaut told ColoradoAvalanche.com. "It will be so much fun, and I want to beat him, for sure."
Kaut said that he and Necas played on the same club for roughly five years, with them last suiting up in the same uniform in 2014-15 with HC Zdar nad Sazavou in the Czech under-16 league. The two then parted ways as Necas went on to play in the hometown Kometa Brno system while Kaut skated with Dynamo Pardubice, the same organization that his brother Tomas played for.

The two have had similar paths to the NHL after being drafted, as both forwards came to the United States to play full time last season, though Necas did skate in one game with Carolina in 2017-18.
While Kaut was learning the North American game with the Eagles of the American Hockey League in 2018-19, Necas was doing the same with the Charlotte Checkers, dressing in 64 AHL contests while also playing in seven games with the Hurricanes.
Despite being thousands of miles apart in a foreign country, the two friends were never too far away from each other.
"We called like every day. We're playing PS4 together, like FIFA," Kaut said. "If I had a game with the Eagles, he would always watch. If I could watch his game, I watched it. We're like brothers."
Kaut joined Necas and Carolina Czech goalie Petr Mrazek for dinner on Thursday night after the Avs arrived in Raleigh to kick off a three-game road trip. It was likely a jovial affair to catch up after not seeing each other in person since the summer and celebrate their recent successes.

Necas has been one of Kaut's biggest cheerleaders on social media, especially over the past 10 days. Kaut made his debut on Feb. 19 against the New York Islanders, recorded his first point with an assist on the game-winning goal last Friday at the Anaheim Ducks and then found the back of the net for the first time on Wednesday versus the Sabres.
"He's been watching the game, and he put some stories on Instagram supporting me," Kaut said. "I did the same thing like when he scored his first NHL goal. Like I said, we're like brothers."
Necas has earned a spot full time with the Hurricanes this season, recording 34 points in 58 games and ranking third on the squad in goals with 16.
Kaut began this year with the Eagles and had 16 points (five goals, 11 assists) in 31 contests before earning his first NHL call-up on Feb. 18. It has been a whirlwind two weeks since then, and he is trying to enjoy and soak up every bit of his Avalanche experience.

"It's been a lot of fun. When I play, we always win so I just want to keep going in this way," said Kaut, mentioning that he hasn't been a part of a loss yet as the Avs are riding a four-game winning streak. "I'm still learning from every game. I'm young guy, and I need to be better in the defensive zone. I hope to be better every game, and I want to stay here."
Friday's game at PNC Arena is the culmination of success for two players from the same street in the Czech Republic, facing off in the big leagues for the first time. They're living their dream playing in the NHL and have had each other to lean on while away from their native homeland.
"We probably had the same [journey]," Kaut said. "Like last year he was in the American Hockey League too. Now he's here in the NHL, me too, but I'm just a couple games; he's starting in the NHL. He is my friend and I've improved from him and learned from him because he's got more experience than me.
"But I'm a better hockey player."
Even in the top league in the world, some brotherly jabs never stop.