NHL Rumors: Two Avalanche Forwards Not In Rush To Sign Contract Extensions

Monday, September 08, 2025
Colorado Avalanche Martin Necas reacts on the ice after 2025 game.

The Colorado Avalanche may need patience when it comes to new contracts for Martin Necas and Jack Drury. 

According to Evan Rawal of the Denver Gazette, both players could wait to see how the market develops before committing to extensions. With Kirill Kaprizov expected to command around $16 million annually from the Minnesota Wild, agents across the league are advising wingers like Necas, Kyle Connor, and Adrian Kempe to hold off until that deal resets the bar.

Necas watching winger market unfold

Necas, acquired in the blockbuster deal involving Mikko Rantanen, is in line for a major payday. Entering his mid-20s with rising production, his camp has little incentive to sign before Kaprizov and even Connor McDavid finalize their next contracts. Any deal struck before then could undervalue him in a rapidly climbing salary cap environment. 

For the Avalanche, it means uncertainty but also the potential to lock in one of their top forwards long term once the market clears.

Drury faces prove-it year at 3C

While Necas waits on the winger dominoes to fall, Drury’s situation is more straightforward. The 25-year-old is entering the final year of his deal and is expected to open the season as Colorado’s third-line center. 

If he thrives in that role, he not only solidifies a key spot internally but also makes Chris MacFarland’s trade deadline job easier. Instead of spending assets to chase a center, the Avs could focus on extending Drury.

Photo Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

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