In January, the Colorado Avalanche took a major risk. They traded superstar winger Mikko Rantanen to the Carolina Hurricanes in a three-team trade. As part of the return, they received emerging winger Martin Necas, who didn’t quite fit with the Hurricanes’ style of play.
The Avalanche made the Stanley Cup Playoffs thanks in part to strong play from Necas. The 26-year-old scored 11 goals and 28 points in 30 regular season games. However, he could not help Colorado get out of the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, losing to Rantanen and his newest team, the Dallas Stars.
Necas is an unrestricted free agent next summer. However, there could be some movement before then. Sportsnet reporter Nick Kypreos included the Avalanche winger on his first Offseason Trade Board recently. And he mentioned that things may not be harmonious in Denver for the 26-year-old.
“After the Avalanche moved Rantanen because of how difficult they perceived contract extension talks to be going, how much patience will they have with Necas — not a homegrown player or superstar talent — if negotiations on an extension start slowly this July? There was a sense Necas wasn’t overly thrilled with his experience in Colorado and that he wants to explore other options,” Kypreos wrote of the situation.
Avalanche’s Martin Necas Emerged as a Star
Matthew Stockman/Getty ImagesMartin Necas may not be too happy with the Colorado Avalanche.
The Avalanche took a massive risk trading Rantanen. At the time of the deal, he was unquestionably a top-10 player in the NHL. He even had an argument for being a top-five player. This put a ton of pressure on Necas to perform given who he was traded for.
Necas did well to play with these expectations in Colorado. He became a point-per-game player and helped Colorado make the Stanley Cup Playoffs. He did struggle in the postseason, and that is a point of frustration for everyone. But he showed that he could be a star player in the right situation.
Whether that situation is in Colorado is up for the team and player to work through. Ideally, the Avalanche could land a haul for Necas. The 26-year-old is signed at an incredible value of $6.5 million for one more year. He is due a substantial raise on his next contract. He can sign an extension starting on July 1.
Keeping Necas makes sense from a competitive standpoint. However, if the 26-year-old is unhappy with the Avalanche, a trade might be the best move for all involved. And it could be worth Colorado’s while if he’s made available.
Colorado Has Some Decisions to Make This Summer
The Avalanche re-signed Brock Nelson to a three-year contract on Wednesday. He’s signed to a cap hit of $7.5 million and has a full no-trade clause in each of the first two seasons. Nelson’s return to the team is huge, but it also creates some financial issues.
The Avalanche now have just $1.2 million in available cap space, according to PuckPedia. They need to re-sign the likes of Jonathan Drouin and Ryan Lindgren this summer, as well. In order to do this, they need to move out significant salary.
Necas fits well with the Avalanche on the ice. If he is unhappy, however, a trade needs to be something the team at least considers. Especially when Colorado can reallocate his cap hit to focus on other areas of the roster.
Martin Necas ‘Not Thrilled’ With Avalanche: Report