The Colorado Avalanche are looking to avoid getting themselves into the same contract pickle with Martin Necas that they got themselves into last year with Mikko Rantanen. It’s ironic that Necas is the key player they got in return for Rantanen in one of the biggest NHL trades this century.

Chris MacFarland, Joe Sakic and the rest of the Avs’ brass failed to get a contract negation done and decided to trade him weeks before the deadline to guarantee that they didn’t let him walk for nothing in free agency. He ended up signing a contract with division rival Dallas after he was traded from Carolina for a second time. That eight-year, $96 million deal was reportedly in the neighborhood of what the Avalanche offered.

For Necas, who scored north of a point per game last season and meshed well with Nathan Mackinnon and the rest of the guys in the top six, he’s in the same spot. With a year left on his contract, he’s due for a big payday (some predict it being in the neighborhood of $10 million annually). Are the Avs going to end up paying him, are they going to trade him, or are they going to let him walk for nothing? Necas said that he didn’t know where the contract talks stood at media day last week, and recent reports reinforced that sentiment.

Pierre LeBrun: Re Martin Necas: They’ve not gotten that far in talks; I think he just wants to start the year, see how things go, I think he’s gonna sign with the Avalanche; they have not gotten deep in talks yet – SC with Jay Onrait (9/24)

— NHL Rumour Report (@NHLRumourReport) September 25, 2025

Pierre LeBrun, a hockey insider for TSN, said that the two sides have not gotten far ahead of the season, but he’s got a hunch that the 26-year-old winger will stay in the Mile High City. They also haven’t gotten that deep into said talks, which could mean that they’re waiting for the season to get going before they truly get the business started.

There’s a lot of factors looming, as the front office needs to make sure they have enough cap flexibility for when they have to pay Cale Makar next season. Also, $10 million dollars is a lot for someone who scored one goal in a seven-game playoff series. It could be possible that the Avalanche are waiting for him to prove his worth at the start of the season, but they will be walking on a thin line and will need to make sure they don’t wait until it’s too late.

The pressure is on MacFarland and company, as Avs Faithful is hoping that they don’t mess up a contract situation for the second consecutive year.