Colorado Avalanche winger Martin Necas made The Athletic’s Postseason All-Bust Team, a collection of NHL stars whohave failed to live up to playoff hype this year.
The list includes notable names such as Winnipeg Jets’ netminder Connor Hellebuyck and Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews.
Among the other players rounding out the list, Necas makes the team given his seemingly underwhelming postseason production. Necas’ selection was based on his five points (1G, 4A) in the Avs’ seven-game series against the Dallas Stars.
The piece highlights a caveat, however.
It’s not that Necas had a bad postseason. It’s that his production paled in comparison to Mikko Rantanen’s, the player he replaced in Colorado. The piece underscores how Necas’ performance was magnified given the way Rantanen ran away with the series down the final three games or so.
Rantanen notched a hat trick in Game 7, burying the Avalanche in the first round. Rantanen continued his hot streak in the first couple of games in the Stars’ second-round series against the Winnipeg Jets but has cooled off since.
The Stars are down 3-1 and could face the final curtain on their season on Thursday night against the Edmonton Oilers in Game 5 of the Western Conference Final.
Meanwhile, Necas goes down as a playoff underachiever this season. A full season under coach Jared Bednar and the Avalanche’s system should do wonders for Necas as the club looks to turn the playoff disappointment of recent seasons into another Stanley Cup run.
Why including any Colorado Avalanche player in Postseason All-Bust Team is unfair
Including any of the Colorado Avalanche’s players in the Postseason All-Bust Team is unfair as there is little evidence to support any single player’s lack of production.
Yes, the Avalanche were eliminated in the first round. But so were eight other teams. Moreover, the series went to seven games, as expected. The Avs pushed the Stars to the brink but came up painfully short.
With the exception of Game 5, which Dallas won 6-2, the Avs’ three other losses were hardly stinkers. The Avs followed up that 6-2 loss with a 7-4 win. The Avs also blew out the Stars 5-1 and 4-0, showing the club had the wherewithal to win the series.
But as is the case in all professional sports, the difference between winning and losing comes down to a game of inches. Think of a baseball team losing a series because of a great catch someone made in the sixth inning of a Game 3.
Or how about those sprinters who lose out on the gold medal by half a step?
The Avalanche lost the series because a shot hit the post or a goal went in off someone’s skate. The fact is that there are so many factors at play, that it’s unfair to pin one player as a bust.
Martin Necas filled some big shoes left behind by Mikko Rantanen. He will hopefully continue to do so next season. Meanwhile, the Dallas Stars can only hope that their gamble in trading for and signing Rantanen pays off.