Big Decision Coming for Avalanche & Martin Necas

Martin Necas, Colorado Avalanche forward, celebrates a goal

With so many of the big-name pending UFAs having taken themselves off the market by signing extensions with their own teams, the few that are left have themselves some huge bargaining power at this point. One of the primary players left in that position is Martin Necas of the Colorado Avalanche.

The Avs have a big decision coming with their pending unrestricted free agent, and will likely not want to hand out an extension outside of their comfort zone.

Sound familiar? Last year at this time, it was Mikko Rantanen. Now it's Necas.

According to insider Darren Dreger, speaking on the Barn Burner podcast, the massive Kirill Kaprizov extension ($17M AAV) isn't moving the Avalanche to overpay Necas, and for a very big reason:

Marty Necas is going to have to probably make a decision here. Kirill Kaprizov wasn't going to take less than he was worth, and he knew he had considerable leverage. The Minnesota Wild are unique in that they recognize they can't ever replace Kaprizov. I don't know that the Colorado Avalanche feel the same about Marty Necas. They certainly didn't about Mikko Rantanen.

Rantanen was stunned when the Avs traded him to the Carolina Hurricanes last season, when he thought the give-and-take of negotations was just getting started. Colorado didn't want to go to $12M or more on Rantanen, but now they're looking at a number not too far off that for Necas, who is, arguably, a lesser player.

Necas could be looking at $11M AAV on a long-term deal; Will the Avs pay it?

Insider Frank Seravalli said recently on The Big Show that for Necas, "It's $10.5M (AAV) at a bare minimum... It's probably an $11M (AAV) if it's a long term deal." He even feels that they might have to move on from the 26-year-old.

It's not about cap room for the Avs, as they're projected to have nearly $27M worth of space next summer. But it is still a money thing, says Dreger:

"Colorado is one of those teams that is pretty budget-sensitive. Not necessarily cap-sensitive, there's a difference there."

Necas is certainly doing his best Rantanen impression playing alongside Nathan MacKinnon so far this season, registering four goals and 10 points in six games, with a plus/minus rating of +10.

If the Avalanche don't pay up, Necas will be one of the biggest draws in free agency come July 1.