NHL Network Didn't Give Avalanche's Martin Necas the Respect He Deserves

NHL Network’s recent Top 20 winger rankings have certainly stirred up some controversy. While the names on the list a deserving, their actual placement is another story entirely.

By placing Colorado Avalanche star Martin Necas outside of the Top 10, NHL Network failed to give Necas the respect he deserves.

The rankings landed Necas 15th. But when looking at some of the names ahead of him, there’s an argument to be made for his inclusion in the top 10.

For instance, is Matt Boldy really that much better than Necas? What about William Nylander or Matthew Tkahuck.

If those guys are in the Top 10, Necas certainly deserves a spot there.

The Avalanche star is a 100-point player. He proved that this season by playing with a team that caters more to his specific skill set. The Avs’ system has allowed Necas to use his speed and playmaking ability to lead the team’s offense.

In fact, when considering his 100-point season, it’s easy to argue that Necas is on par with Mikko Rantanen.

If NHL Network was serious about making these rankings accurate, it would reconsider placing other stars like Kyle Connor and Sam Reinhart ahead of the Avalanche top-liner.

Here’s the likely argument against Necas

The easiest argument to make against Martin Necas is that his breakout came while playing with Nathan MacKinnon. Having an elite center like MacKinnon allowed Necas to get many more scoring opportunities than in the past.

In fact, that’s perfectly logical. The Carolina Hurricanes don’t play a system conducive to Necas’ strengths. The Canes are happy with playing a dull, safe brand of hockey aimed at wearing down the opposition.

That’s not in line with the sort of player Necas was. In Carolina, he didn’t get the opportunity to play on a truly solid offensive team. It’s even fair to say the organization wasted much of his talent.

In Colorado, the story has been different. Necas has played with both MacKinnon and Brock Nelson. And the results speak for themselves. Of course, Jared Bendar has made the obvious choice of pairing MacKinnon and Necas.

Nevertheless, Necas has shown that his skill set works in Colorado regardless of his linemates.

Ultimately, NHL Network needs to do some serious rethinking. Placing Martin Necas outside the Top 10 wingers in the league is a gross miscalculation.

The only thing now is for Necas to prove the pundits wrong on the ice.

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