Martin Necas was the key piece of the return in the shocking blockbuster trade that sent Mikko Rantanen to the Carolina Hurricanes last season — and the Colorado Avalanche would love to get the pending unrestricted free agent locked up before next summer.

It certainly won't be easy, as the 28-year-old is due for a significant raise from the $6.5 million AAV he was commanding in each of the last two campaigns. He recorded 28 points in 30 regular-season games with the Avs in 2024-25, playing a significant role on the first line with Nathan MacKinnon, as well as with the top powerplay group.

One thing that could be holding up a potential contract extension for Necas in Denver is Minnesota Wild superstar Kirill Kaprizov, as The Denver Post's Corey Masisak reported earlier this week .

See Full Page