The Colorado Avalanche knew the Mikko Rantanen situation was headed toward a split because the two sides couldn’t agree on a contract extension. The return brought Martin Necas into the picture, and that part has paid off in the regular season. But the deal still carries a pair of painful reminders that make it look like a missed chance.
One piece of the return was already moved on. Jack Drury, a solid depth center, was dealt to the Nashville Predators for Fedor Svechkov and Zachary L’Heureux. Svechkov is expected to handle a decent role for the Avs, while L’Heureux’s path could come down to a competition.
The bigger issue is what happened with Necas once the games got tighter. He delivered a huge regular season in 2025-26, appearing in 78 games and piling up 38 goals and 62 assists for the first 100-point season of his career. That kind of production is hard to argue with.
The playoff side told a very different story. Across 20 postseason games in two seasons, Necas has only two goals and 16 assists. The Avalanche likely believed they could unlock another level from him in the postseason, but his previous playoff track record was already a warning sign.
There’s no issue with Necas’ regular-season value. He’s been there plenty.
But as the source material puts it, the team would have had to run into a lot of problems just to miss the playoffs, which makes the lack of postseason impact more troubling. That’s the part that makes the trade hard to love.
Rantanen, for his part, had every reason to hold firm in contract talks rather than take a discount to stay in Colorado. At nearly 30, this could be his last chance to land the kind of deal he wants.
And in the postseason, he was productive for the Avalanche. In 81 playoff games, Rantanen posted 31 goals and 67 assists, good for 1.21 points per playoff game.
In Other News...
Ilya Nabokov Could Soon Force A Bigger Avalanche Goalie Decision
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Ilya Nabokov is the name that could make this more interesting before long. Drafted in 2024, the prospect is expected to begin in the AHL, but there is a real chance he gets NHL time this season, and that kind of development tends to change the conversation quickly. If Nabokov pushes his way into the picture, Colorado may soon have to think harder about how it wants to shape the position beyond the present comfort level. [Read more 🡒]
Avalanche Face Looming Conflict As Quebec Eyes NHL Return
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What makes Quebec especially intriguing is the Nordiques connection, since the NHL owns the trademark and could license the name to a new club there. That would give any return a ready-made identity and, for longtime hockey fans, reopen one of the leagues most recognizable relocation wounds. Nothing is settled yet, but if expansion moves from talk to action, the Avalanche could find themselves watching a franchise return to the market their predecessor once called home. [Read more 🡒]
Gabriel Landeskog Now Carries A Bigger Avalanche Burden
Gabriel Landeskogs return to regular season hockey was already a major Avalanche storyline after a three-year recovery from a knee injury, and his first full season back only reinforced how important he remains to the club. He got into 60 games, produced 14 goals and 21 assists, and still found a way to be effective despite missing 22 more games with other injuries and logging the lowest average ice time of his career.
Now the expectation around Landeskog is shifting again, because Colorado has lost Valeri Nichushkin and needs more from one of its most established voices. The Avalanche have long valued Landeskog for more than points, but with the roster changing around him, his role could expand in ways that test both his health and his ability to shoulder even more of the burden. [Read more 🡒]