Just weeks into the season, a new team stands atop the NHL Power Rankings. The Colorado Avalanche earned that bump thanks in particular to the dynamic duo of Nathan MacKinnon and Martin Necas .
After arriving in Denver midway through the 2024-25 season, Necas immediately looked like a fit alongside MacKinnon. His speed and puckhandling were a perfect fit with one of the league's best players.
Coming into the 2025-26 season, after a full offseason with the Avalanche, Necas took that connection to another level. Coming into Tuesday night's game against the Utah Mammoth , Colorado outscored opponents 8-0 with MacKinnon and Necas on the ice together at five-on-five. Those results were not a fluke either because their expected goals share was a jaw-dropping 63.7%.
On the scoresheet