The Colorado Avalanche have been under constant scrutiny since dealing Mikko Rantanen to the Carolina Hurricanes for Martin Necas.
The move was a proactive measure amid the uncertainty surrounding Rantanen’s potential contract extension. However, the move was met with plenty of skepticism. Rantanen’s role with the Avalanche since breaking into the league had been undeniable. The former 10th overall pick from 2015 had amassed back-to-back 100-point seasons, including a 55-goal campaign in 2022-23.
So, the initial reaction was that the Avalanche would regress without Rantanen, despite adding a highly talented player in Martin Necas. But now, there’s research proving the Avalanche are actually better off with Necas than with Rantanen.
In this first part of what will become an extensive series, we’ll be looking into how the Colorado Avalanche have emerged as the winners of the Rantanen-Necas trade.
Research shows Avalanche got the better end of Rantanen-Necas blockbuster
A report published by RG Media on November 24 sheds light on the comparison between the two stars. Necas, two years younger than Rantanen, has certainly passed the eye test in Colorado. He’s gotten the opportunity he never had in Carolina, playing with an all-world center to boot.
In the piece, Sergey Pryakhin dropped a tantalizing insight:
“Every major team metric for Colorado has improved with Necas in the lineup when compared to the same stretch with Rantanen. This is especially clear at 5-on-5: the Avalanche were outscoring opponents 42–36 (+6) in Rantanen’s 49 games, while the number with Necas is 46–26 (+20) over the same number of games.”
Necas has provided a new dimension that the Avalanche had seemingly been without while Rantanen was on the squad. Necas has invigorated the offense, delivering the sort of pop that Rantanen had seemingly lost.
While Rantanen eventually found a home in Dallas, it’s been Necas who has truly shone in his new surroundings. The study offered this enlightening thought:
“It’s also worth noting that this season, both MacKinnon and Necas rank inside the league’s top three in points collected when the score is tied or within one goal. In other words, during the most tense and meaningful moments of games. So questioning Necas’s competitiveness or ability to deliver under pressure doesn’t hold much weight.”
In total, MacKinnon has produced 29 total points when the score is within one goal. That’s tops in the league. Meanwhile, Necas has 24 points in those situations, good for third, with Cale Makar fourth on the list with 23 points. Incidentally, Macklin Celebrini is tied with MacKinnon on that list.
As for Rantanen, he’s 20th with 18 points when the score is within a goal. That situation showcases just how crucial MacKinnon, Makar, and Necas have been in tight games. That’s precisely what we’ve seen over the Avalanche’s last two games. The 3-0 win over the Nashville Predators and the 1-0 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks prove just how valuable MacKinnon and Necas have been this season for Colorado.
Those numbers seem to speak volumes, particularly in light of Rantanen’s recent antics. His two game misconducts for boarding landed the former Colorado Avalanche got a one-game suspension. Meanwhile, Necas continues to get better with each game.
We’re just scratching the surface with this data. There is so much to unpack that we will continue discussing in greater detail why the Avalanche have emerged as victors in the Rantanen-Necas trade.
Stay tuned because there will be more to come in the following articles.