The Colorado Avalanche began the 2024-25 season with arguably the worst goaltending situation in the NHL and ended with yet another playoff elimination at the hands of the Dallas Stars. Somewhere in between, the Avalanche dealt superstar winger Mikko Rantanen to the Carolina Hurricanes.
The biggest part of the trade for the Avalanche was acquiring center/winger Martin Necas. Rantanen was then traded (again) to the Stars before coming back to bite the Avalanche in Game 7 of their first-round playoff matchup. However, Necas and how he performs going forward should cast new light on this deal.
Before the trade, Necas was in the midst of his best season, with 16 goals and 55 points through 49 games with the Hurricanes. Like Rantanen, it took him some time to find his game after he arrived in Colorado.
In 30 games with the Avalanche, Necas did fine, scoring 11 goals and 28 points. His five power-play goals were a positive sign, given that he had just two more in 19 more games with the Hurricanes. More importantly, he logged nearly two and a half minutes more ice time per game.
Necas finished the season strong, posting at least a point in seven of his final 10 games (10 points in all). His progress shows his growing comfort level, especially playing next to Nathan MacKinnon. The Avalanche have to feel good about having him for a full season in 2025-26.
It hurt to lose a player of Rantanen’s caliber. He, MacKinnon, and Cale Makar were regularly in the top 10 in scoring. Necas, even in his best season, hasn’t been able to approach that kind of offensive output. Salary and contract issues may have ultimately led to the move, but it was still disappointing.
It didn’t help Necas’ defenders that he scored just a single point through the first four games of the Dallas series, but he acquitted himself well with three points across Games 5 and 6. If the Avalanche want to remain a contender, he has to continue to develop in the right direction.
This grade is not for Necas’ full 2024-25 season, since he spent 49 games with the Hurricanes. This is solely based on the 30-game run he had with the Avalanche. Here’s a look.
Necas’ 65.3% Corsi for is the highest of his career, showing that the Avalanche controlled the puck more with him on the ice. In nearly every advanced metric, he was better than he’d ever been. Scoring 28 points in 30 games might not be outstanding, but it takes time for players to acclimate to new settings, and he is trending upward.
The Avalanche have taken some swings to fill out their lineup and remain contenders. Even with pressing issues that must be addressed, they will be competitive for the foreseeable future. A big part of whether they can get over the hump will be whether Necas can continue his ascension into a top-flight scorer.
A full season skating alongside MacKinnon will no doubt do wonders for Necas. He showed improved consistency down the stretch, and the Avalanche lineup will, ideally, have fewer injury issues next season. All of that should equate to another very good season from Necas. Past that, the Avalanche will have to find a way to re-sign him, as he will be a free agent in 2026.
More must-reads:
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!
New York Rangers forward Matt Rempe joined a few NHL players, including New Jersey Devils defenseman Brett Pesce, in a supposedly friendly hockey game on Friday in Connecticut. Although the event was supposed to be just about skating for a good cause, Rempe found a way to make headlines for the opposite reason, as he nearly flattened Pesce during an offseason charity game. At the “Shoulder Check Showcase” in Stamford, Connecticut, Rempe drew attention when he locked in on the Devils defenseman and tried to deliver a high-speed check into the boards. Pesce narrowly avoided contact, dodging what could have been a serious hit in a game meant for fun, not full contact or suffering potential season-altering injuries. Pesce, who was wearing the Devils logo on his shoulder, might have flipped a switch for Rempe, who reacted instinctively despite the event’s nonprofit and non-competitive nature. That's because of the lingering tensions between the Rangers' enforcer and the Devils that track back to Rempe's rookie season in New York. The animosity started when Rempe completed a high hit on Devils player Nathan Bastian, and later escalated further during a line brawl in March, where Rempe was one of 10 players ejected two seconds into the game. The brawl got started when Rempe challenged the Devils' Kurtis MacDermid after previously knocking Jonas Siegenthaler out with a high elbow that led to a four-game suspension earlier in the season. The 23-year-old Rangers forward has yet to find an established role in New York, having played just 17 and 42 regular-season games for the franchise in the past two seasons. The Rangers must have liked Rempe's skill set, however, as they recently signed the enforcer to a two-year, $1.95 million extension.
New York Yankees star Aaron Judge missed Saturday's game against the Philadelphia Phillies with an elbow injury, and the slugger is now headed to the injured list. The Yankees fell 9-4 to the Phillies on Saturday at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, N.Y., which marked their third consecutive loss. Judge played in Friday night's 12-5 loss to Philadelphia, but Aaron Boone announced before Saturday's game that Judge was dealing with an "elbow issue" and would sit out. Following his team's latest loss, Boone shared some new information about Judge's injury. Judge has been diagnosed with a flexor strain, but the Yankees believe he can return in less than two weeks. When Judge returns to the lineup, Boone said it will initially be as a designated hitter. Judge is having an outstanding season. He entered Saturday batting .342, which is the best mark in baseball. The reigning American League MVP has 37 home runs, 85 RBI and a 1.160 OPS. The Yankees are now six games behind the AL East-leading Toronto Blue Jays and fighting to remain atop the wild-card race. It goes without saying that they are hopeful Judge will be able to return as soon as possible.
The Arizona Diamondbacks have plenty of suitors for third baseman Eugenio Suarez. A new team has reportedly entered the market for his services. Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer reported that the Phillies have reached out regarding Suarez. While Lauber did not provide any indication as to whether or not those talks have gained traction, the Phillies are an intriguing suitor for the Diamondbacks' third baseman. The Phillies' interest may be a recent development. Jon Heyman of the New York Post speculated on Friday that the Phillies could emerge as a suitor in the wake of third baseman Alec Bohm landing on the injured list with a fractured left rib. Suarez is in the midst of what is arguably his best season thus far. He has produced a .249/.321/.587 batting line in 421 plate appearances entering Saturday with 36 homers and a major league-leading 87 RBI. Suarez would be more than just another powerful bat in the lineup. Designated hitter Kyle Schwarber and first baseman Bryce Harper are both left-handed hitters — adding Suarez would provide more balance in the batting order. He would also provide a counter against opposing managers bringing in a lefty reliever to face Schwarber and Harper. The biggest question would be how the Phillies would handle an eventual logjam on the roster. Bohm is expected to return from the IL in mid-August and would not have a clear path to regular at-bats if Suarez were acquired. Schwarber could theoretically return to left field to open up playing time at the DH spot, but his outfield defense is mediocre at best. However, as the Phillies are also looking to upgrade the outfield, where Max Kepler and Brandon Marsh have been disappointments, adding Suarez could solve several problems in one fell swoop.
Aaron Rodgers made his practice debut for the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday, and it was not necessarily a moment he will want to remember. Rodgers’ very first pass was intercepted by linebacker Patrick Queen. The quarterback was trying to find top target DK Metcalf on a curl route, but was not quite accurate enough. Rodgers will not lose any sleep over this. It is not the first interception he has thrown in a practice session and it will not be the last. It did make for some amusing viewing for critics, though, and even some Steelers fans got a chuckle out of it. The Steelers are hoping Rodgers can lift them to at least a playoff win in 2025. If he succeeds, he is in line for a pretty big payday, and might even be able to go out on a high note if this is in fact his final NFL season. The other bright side to Rodgers’ inauspicious start to his Pittsburgh career? It will probably make Giants rookie Jaxson Dart feel a little bit better about his own first pass.