It feels like we’ve been here before, doesn’t it? Just last season, the hockey world was buzzing about the Colorado Avalanche and a star forward heading into the final year of his contract with a massive payday on the horizon. That player was Mikko Rantanen. This year, it’s the very player they acquired for him, Martin Necas. The irony is thick enough to skate on, and it has left GM Chris MacFarland with a monumental decision that will define the team’s competitive window.
When the Avalanche pulled the trigger on the blockbuster trade last January, sending franchise icon Mikko Rantanen to the Carolina Hurricanes, the return had to be substantial. In Martin Necas, they received a dynamic, top-six forward with speed to burn. He didn’t disappoint. In 30 regular-season games wearing the burgundy and blue, Necas was a force, putting up an impressive 28 points on 11 goals and 17 assists. He seamlessly integrated into the top six, providing the secondary scoring punch the team desperately needed. But his success has only complicated his future in the Mile High City.
The $10 Million Question: Can Colorado Afford Necas Long-Term?
As reported by NHL insider Nick Kypreos, figuring out the long-term plan for Martin Necas is now the single biggest piece of unfinished business for the Avalanche front office. Necas has one year remaining on his contract, which carries a team-friendly $6.5-million cap hit.
After this season, he’s an unrestricted free agent, free to sign with the highest bidder. His stellar performance means he’s in line for a significant raise, and in a salary cap environment that’s finally seeing healthy growth, the feeling around the league is that his next AAV could start with a “10.” Are the Avalanche, with massive contracts already committed to Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, Gabriel Landeskog, and Devon Toews, willing to add another $10-million-plus player to their books?
History Repeating Itself? The Mikko Rantanen Precedent
This is where the sense of déjà vu becomes impossible to ignore. The Avalanche faced the exact same scenario with Rantanen. They engaged in extension talks but ultimately concluded they weren’t willing or able to meet his asking price. Instead of losing him for nothing or letting the situation hang over the team, they proactively traded him. Rantanen eventually inked a massive eight-year deal with the Dallas Stars carrying a $12 million AAV. The Avs essentially swapped one contract problem for another.
From my perspective, the Avalanche have three options, and none are easy.
- They can bite the bullet and extend Necas, cementing their top-six for years to come but sacrificing financial flexibility elsewhere.
- They can let him play out the season and risk him walking in free agency, which seems unlikely for such a shrewd front office.
- Or, they can do what they did with Rantanen: flip him again.
They could potentially acquire a top-four defenseman or a package of younger, more cost-controlled assets to rebalance their roster. While trading another star forward in back-to-back years would be a tough pill for the fanbase to swallow, it may be the most pragmatic path to sustained success under a hard salary cap. The clock is ticking, and the Martin Necas rumors are only going to get louder.
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The post Déjà Vu in Denver? Avalanche Face Familiar Crossroads with Martin Necas Rumors appeared first on NHL Trade Rumors.
