Necas’ Early-Season Surge Puts Avalanche in Tough Contract Spot

Martin Necas is off to a blazing start this season, tallying 12 points in his first nine games, and the timing couldn’t be better for the Colorado Avalanche star. Quickly building chemistry with Nathan MacKinnon and coming off a career-best 83-point season, Necas is firmly establishing himself as one of the league’s elite forwards. The numbers on his next contract could reflect that.

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The Athletic’s Chris Johnston recently highlighted a potential wrinkle for the Avs: Necas’ emerging production could push him into a salary bracket that rivals, or even exceeds, Mikko Rantanen’s $12 million AAV. Had Colorado known this would happen when they traded Rantanen, one has to wonder whether they would ever have let the now Dallas Star go.

With Necas patrolling the right wing and with 12 points in 10 games, he’s in a prime position to post another massive offensive season. The way contracts are skyrocketing as the salary cap climbs, that could put him in a strong position to leverage the Avalanche against the open market.

Johnston says that while it remains unlikely that Necas will ultimately surpass Rantanen, projections currently place him around $11 million per season. Even in that range, the Avalanche will face a challenging decision on how to balance top-line talent under the salary cap. Signing Necas to a premium extension would secure one of the NHL’s rising stars but could limit flexibility elsewhere on the roster. It’s the exact reason they traded Rantanen in the first place.

This time around, however, the Avalanche might have little choice. Necas’ ability to drive offense, create chances, and complement star teammates like MacKinnon will make him indispensable. The Avs may not want to spend the money, but someone will, and locking him in before he hits unrestricted free agency is key. That’s specifically true if the option to trade him isn’t what it was with Rantanen.

If Necas continues producing at an elite pace, Colorado will have little choice but to reward him with a top-tier contract.

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