The Colorado Avalanche have opened the 2025-26 season impressively, with superstar center Nathan MacKinnon posting eight points through four games. The Avalanche has rolled to convincing victories over Los Angeles and Buffalo, showcasing its championship pedigree early.
However, MacKinnon isn’t the only center turning heads in Colorado. While trade rumors have linked one of the Avalanche’s top forwards to the Oilers, an insider revealed the player is taking a patient approach to his contract situation.
Martin Necas Taking Patient Approach to Contract Extension With Avalanche
The Avalanche picked up right where they left off last season, opening the new campaign with authority. While MacKinnon has been stellar, forward Martin Necas has matched his production with eight points through four games, giving Colorado a potent one-two punch.
The 26-year-old leads Colorado in assists with five and has emerged as a key offensive catalyst. However, recent reports suggest the Avalanche may be forced to part ways with the Czech forward sooner than expected.
With both Necas and star defenseman Cale Makar becoming unrestricted free agents in 2027, analysts believe Colorado may sacrifice Necas to secure the cap space needed to retain Makar long-term.
Edmonton has also been linked to Necas, with the Oilers possessing increased cap flexibility following Connor McDavid’s team-friendly extension. However, insider Chris Johnston believes the forward isn’t concerned about his contract situation.
On the latest episode of The Chris Johnston Show, Johnston told co-host Julian McKenzie that Necas presents the most intriguing contract situation in Colorado. “I suppose Necas is maybe where the most intrigue might be found,” Johnston said.
He continued, “He arrived in Denver last year, obviously as part of that Mikko Rantanen trade, and so he doesn’t have the same length of history with the team, which doesn’t mean he doesn’t want to stay.” Johnston believes Necas is approaching negotiations differently than Colorado’s other stars.
“He’s also comfortable letting it play out a little bit more. So, his agent and the Avalanche have certainly kind of set the table for how talks might go,” Johnston explained. However, the insider emphasized it’s still early in the season, and discussions haven’t intensified yet.
“It doesn’t seem like it’s as active a conversation that’s happening around him,” Johnston noted. He pointed out that Necas has opened the season strongly, and if he maintains this pace, he could reach 80 to 90 points by season’s end.
“I think he was in the low 80s last season between the two teams, but if he’s pushing even higher in terms of his production, maybe it doesn’t suit his interest to sign,” Johnston said.
Johnston believes Necas may be eyeing the growing number of teams with significant cap space, positioning himself to maximize his value in unrestricted free agency.
With Edmonton needing another elite scorer to match up against championship contenders, the Czech forward could be an ideal fit alongside McDavid.
