Colorado Avalanche’s $11.5M Nečas Deal vs Rantanen Strategy

Colorado’s $11.5M Nečas Contract Raises Eyebrows After Rantanen Stalemate

The Colorado Avalanche had a plan – but did they stick to it? The hockey world is buzzing after Colorado announced an 8-year, $11.5 million annual contract extension with Martin Nečas, removing another major name from the 2026 free agent market.

The Nečas Commitment: Total Faith in the Czech Star

Judging by the contract structure, the Avalanche show near-unlimited faith in the Czech forward: a substantial signing bonus and a no-movement clause lasting until January 2034, when the final contract year begins. This means Nečas could potentially change teams at the deadline to chase a championship if circumstances dictate.

The Rantanen Elephant in the Room

For anyone who remembers last season, an immediate question arises: Did Colorado management bet on the right horse?

Nečas arrived in Colorado thanks to the most high-profile trade of the 2024/25 season. The club had been attempting to extend Mikko Rantanen’s expiring contract, but the Finnish star was reportedly unhappy with Colorado’s final offer of $11.7 million per season.

Rantanen apparently sought $14 million annually – matching Leon Draisaitl’s salary, with both players sharing agent Andy Scott. At that price point, Mikko would have surpassed Nathan MacKinnon’s $12.6 million as Colorado’s highest-paid player, holding that title for at least two years until Cale Makar’s contract expires.

The Trade That Shook Colorado

Whether these demands were real remains unclear. Rantanen himself denied being greedy, appearing devastated after the trade to Carolina and stating he was willing to stay for “reasonable money” – though he never specified what that amount would be.

Avalanche GM Chris MacFarland didn’t bother deciphering Rantanen’s true motives and engineered a trade. Managing to trade a top-10 league player without weakening the team is no easy task, but MacFarland found a solution.

While Nečas represents a quality drop from Rantanen, the Czech forward came packaged with Jack Drury – a bottom-six center who excels at faceoffs, addressing a clear weakness in the Avalanche lineup.

The Financial Mathematics

Rantanen ultimately landed in Dallas after Carolina traded him at the deadline, where he immediately signed an 8-year, $12 million extension. Mathematically, Colorado essentially replaced Rantanen with Nečas while saving only $500,000 annually.

Performance Comparison: Regular Season

In Carolina, Nečas was having a career season, nearly maintaining a point-per-game pace with 16 goals and 39 assists in 49 games before the trade. Rantanen was even more dominant: 25 goals and 39 assists in the same 49 games.

Interestingly, Nečas became more productive in Colorado (28 points in remaining regular season games versus Rantanen’s 24 across both teams), challenging the narrative that Rantanen was simply riding MacKinnon’s coattails.

Playoff Revelation

The first playoff round provided the ultimate test of Colorado’s decision. While the first four games showed the players as equals, the Finnish star then put on a show: 11 points in three games, including a hat trick in Game 7, single-handedly carrying the Stars to victory and leaving Avalanche management with serious questions about their contract strategy.