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NHL Insider Reveals Avs' Martin Necas Situation Entering Contract Year

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Antonio Losada | Last updated Jun 6, 2025 10:06 AM ET

The Colorado Avalanche made one of the boldest moves of the 2025 season when they traded Mikko Rantanen to the Carolina Hurricanes and brought in Martin Necas as the centerpiece of the returning package.

It was a risky gamble for a team trying to extend its Stanley Cup window, and one that came with instant expectations for Necas to produce.

Necas delivered 28 points in 30 regular-season games with the Avs and played significant minutes alongside Nathan MacKinnon in Colorado's first line. He also contributed five points in seven playoff games.

Despite the increased role and his solid offensive numbers, questions are beginning to surface about whether the 26-year-old forward will remain in Colorado for the long-term future.

While the Stanley Cup Final begins this week, the off-season has begun for 30 teams across the NHL.

With the combine this week and the draft to follow later in the month, @RealKyper introduces his first trade board of the off-season. https://t.co/yXm6NXGb8V
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) June 2, 2025

According to Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos, there may already be some tension behind the scenes.

“There was a sense Necas wasn’t overly thrilled with his experience in Colorado and that he wants to explore other options,” Kypreos wrote in his first offseason Trade Board over Sportsnet. “After the Avalanche moved Rantanen because of how difficult they perceived contract extension talks to be going, how much patience will they have with Necas — not a homegrown player or superstar talent — if negotiations on an extension start slowly this July?”

Necas has one season left at a $6.5 cap hit in his two-year, $13 million contract and will become an unrestricted free agent next summer.

The forward previously avoided signing a long-term deal with Carolina, opting instead for his current two-year bridge deal.

Now, Colorado faces a similar challenge in dealing with Necas as he enters his contract year, facing the possibility of losing him for nothing or trading him before he reaches free agency, assuming he refuses to sign an extension with the Avs

Colorado only has $1.2 million in available cap space entering the offseason, per PuckPedia, but projects to have $30 million in cap room in the summer of 2025.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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