Martin Necas will head into the 2025-26 season seemingly without a new contract. The final year of his current two-year, $6.5 million deal will also be his first full season with the Colorado Avalanche.

Hot start cooling off

After his struggles in the first half-season with the Avs, there have been question marks around him. He started off hot and looked to fit nicely after the departure of Mikko Rantanen. However, the mood quickly dampened as the season went on.

In the Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Dallas Stars and Rantanen, Necas was a shell of himself. It was always a concern, back to his time with the Carolina Hurricanes. He only scored once while dishing out four assists in those seven games in the first round.

Even the regular season saw Necas have his issues as time went on. In 30 games, he only had 11 goals and 17 assists. This was despite averaging over 20 minutes a night, well over his average career high.

Compared to who he was traded for in Rantanen, it’s not a great look. If the Avalanche couldn’t bite to sign Rantanen, would they do the same for Necas when he’s not thrilled?

Why or why not Marty?

With the Czechia forward eying over $10 million in his next deal, it’s a tough pill to swallow for the Avs. Considering they didn’t pay upwards of $12 million for their former Finnish star, can they find an in-between to keep the Marty Party rolling?

While it would make sense to lock down Necas now, Colorado doesn’t really know what they’re getting out of Necas right now. Likely in their minds, a 30-game trial isn’t enough to make a determination on his future in the Mile High City.

So, when would it be appropriate to either re-sign him or deal him for another piece, if it’s even available? It’d make sense to move him. But, it would also be a sign of being the ultimate loser of the Rantanen trade.

But at the same time, signing him is crucial for locking down a first line and forward core. There is still a possibility that he is still signed before the start of the year. After things get underway, who knows if and when a new contract will come his way – similar to how Rantanen was treated and handled.