Avalanche Center Taking the Leap in Breakout Season

Colorado Avalanche center Martin Necas always had the talent. The skill was never in question during his years with the Carolina Hurricanes, and there were stretches where he'd flash the kind of production that suggested he could be a legitimate top-line player. But something always felt off about it.

The numbers looked good on paper, but they never quite translated into the kind of impact you'd expect from a player putting up those totals. Now with the Avalanche, everything has changed. Necas is producing at a 100-plus point pace, and this time, there's real substance behind it.

Empty Calories No More

The Athletic's Sean Gentille and Dom Luszczyszyn recently broke down players around the league who are taking "the leap" this season, and Necas stood out as a perfect example of a player finally putting it all together. The key distinction they made was about the quality of Necas' production.

In Carolina, his numbers sometimes felt hollow, the kind of empty-calorie offense that pads stats without actually driving winning hockey. In Colorado, that's no longer the case.

"Necas' production in Carolina sometimes felt a bit hollow, but this is no empty-calorie production in Colorado," Gentille wrote.

Playing alongside Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar certainly helps. When you're surrounded by two of the best players in the world, it's easier to find open ice and capitalize on chances. But the analysts made it clear that Necas deserves credit for being more than just a passenger on a dominant line.

"He does have it easy playing with Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar, but Necas has still been special in his own right," Gentille wrote.

A Different Kind of Leap