Unfortunately, all we have heard about the Martin Necas situation of allegedly being unhappy with the Colorado Avalanche is the one side to the story. As of right now, it feels as if Necas could surely be on the outside of the team’s plans going into the 2025-26 season. Whether it’s true or not remains to be seen. I’m surprised that, if the rumours were false, nobody in the organization has said so.
That leads one to possibly think of how the Avalanche can go about the situation. They could obviously keep him and his $6.5 million cap hit, or send him off to a team that offers what the Avalanche want in return. Necas’ lack of a no-trade clause in his contract makes moving him a lot easier, but his cap hit is pretty significant. One team I had in mind as a trade partner was the Montreal Canadiens.
He’s also in need of a new contract after this upcoming season, so any team that is willing to take on $6.5 million has to have security in knowing that he’s going to re-sign with them following the season, and not pull a Mikko Rantanen and demand a trade elsewhere.
The Avalanche have some decisions to make as they head into free agency with just $1.2 million in cap space. They could move off of a couple of contracts and free up some money, as restructures aren’t allowed in the NHL.
Even if they do open up some space, the ideal scenario is for them to sign a couple of inexpensive players who have a high ceiling in their eyes. That way, they’re not stuck with contracts for players that have a high potential of flopping with the team. If the inexpensive players they sign aren’t what the Avalanche hoped they’d live up to, they could move off of those players without hesitation.
So, what will the Colorado Avalanche do for Necas’ replacement on the top line?
The answer I have for this is simple: Put a player who is familiar with Nathan MacKinnon and Arturri Lehkonen on the top line. Who would that be?
The answer is Valeri Nichushkin. Nichushkin has been with the Avalanche since the 2019-20 season and kickstarted his career after four seasons with the division rival Dallas Stars. Nichushkin played in 223 games for the Stars from 2013-14 through 2018–19 before being sent to Colorado. He’s found a nice cozy home on the second line, but I feel like there’s potential for him to exceed expectations on the top line. Nichushkin has proven that he is a big piece to the Avalanche’s offense. He’s not only noticeable when he’s on the ice, but when he isn’t, it’s obvious.
This way, the Avalanche don’t have to worry about getting a top-line player back from whichever team they send Necas to.
Sure, Necas could cost another team a top player, but the Avalanche need several players to fill up their depth. You can’t expect several players form the AHL to come in every week and make a huge difference on the Avalanche. That’s just simply unreasonable, as they’re in the AHL for a reason. It’s not often that an AHL player gets bumped up and stays in the NHL full-time. Though it’s possible for some, including Nikita Prishchepov later down the road, you can’t rush players.
Ultimately, an in-house option is a much better solution to the Necas situation if he ends up getting moved. The Avalanche can play around with their lower lines to see what clicks the best as they try to figure out their roster on their way to making another playoff run in 2025-26.