The focal point of the Colorado Avalanche’s return package in the blockbuster trade that sent Mikko Rantanen to the Carolina Hurricanes was forward Martin Necas, and although he enjoyed a solid start to his tenure in Colorado, his situation is far from settled. The 26-year-old scored 28 points in 30 games in Denver, but his future with the club is cloudy due to the fact that he is set to hit unrestricted free agency after the 2025-26 season. The Denver Post’s Corey Masisiak called Necas’ contract situation “a tricky negotiation for both sides,” and provided some detail as to why.
First and foremost, Masisiak cited Minnesota Wild forward Kirill Kaprizov’s contract situation as a factor that could hold up progress – Necas may not want to sign his deal until his camp, led by Eclipse Sports Management’s Michael Deutsch, gets to see what Kaprizov’s deal is valued at. From the Avalanche’s side of the equation, the team needs to find a way to figure out if they can fit Necas’ next contract onto their books, which currently feature Nathan MacKinnon at a $12.6MM cap hit and are set to feature Cale Makar’s likely record-setting extension in two years’ time. Necas is an extremely talented hockey player and has proven to be a quality fit for the Avalanche, but retaining him, for the reasons Masisiak detailed, could prove challenging.