Necas at home with Avalanche after trade, ready for playoffs

Transitioning to a different NHL team can take time. There are new teammates, new systems, new surroundings. But for Martin Necas, the adjustment to the Colorado Avalanche seemed to go pretty quick.

“I mean, it’s a puck-possession team so it definitely works for me,” Necas said. “I’m enjoying it and just trying to build a chemistry and be as good as possible for the playoffs.”

Necas’ NHL home changed on Jan. 24 when he was sent to the Avalanche by the Carolina Hurricanes in the blockbuster trade that saw forward Mikko Rantanen go the other way.

In his 30 games with the Avalanche, Necas had 28 points (11 goals, 17 assists). And now it’s time for the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, with the Avalanche (49-29-4) set to play the Dallas Stars and Rantanen, who was traded there from Carolina on March 7. Game 1 of the best-of-7 series is at Dallas on Saturday (8:30 p.m. ET; Victory+, MAX, truTV, TNT, ALT, SN360, SN, TVAS).

Necas has plenty of postseason experience, with 30 points (11 goals, 19 assists) in 59 playoff games. His career high was nine points (four goals, five assists) in 11 games with Carolina last postseason.

Asked if he looked back at what worked or didn’t work for Necas in the playoffs or if he just starts with a fresh plate with Colorado, Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said, “fresh plate, but I know what worked for him already and what doesn’t.”

“It’s the same thing that works for him and what doesn’t in the regular season,” he said. “We’ve had some discussions on his play and what he needs to do, because I think he can be a huge X-factor in this series.”

The No. 12 pick by the Hurricanes in the 2017 NHL Draft, Necas has 326 points (124 goals, 202 assists) in 441 career games with Carolina and Colorado. He had 55 points (16 goals, 39 assists) in 49 games with the Hurricanes this season prior to the trade.

The 26-year-old wasted no time in adjusting, getting five points (one goal, four assists) in his first four games and nine points (four goals, five assists) through his first eight games with Colorado.

“Our game stylistically fits the way he likes to play and wants to play, and I also think he had stretches like that in Carolina too” Bednar said. “This is a player coming into his own and maturing into an elite player in the League.

“Obviously, he’s gained a lot of confidence over the years. He’s learned to play the right way in Carolina. I think it’s a good fit with some of our personnel, the way we like to play, and he’s excited to be here, so that always helps.”

Perhaps the trade’s timing helped Necas’ transition time too. He came to Colorado in January, well ahead of the NHL Trade Deadline on March 7.

“That was definitely nice,” Necas said. “After the (4 Nations Face-Off) break (in February) we were all moved in in Denver and settled down. So, that was good. It was definitely easier.”

Necas isn’t as prolific a scorer as Rantanen, who had 100 points or more in two straight seasons with the Avalanche (105 in 2022-23, 104 in 2023-24). But he was a steady producer with Carolina (his career high was 71 points in 2022-23), and that’s continued in Colorado, where he’s averaging 0.93 points per game since the trade.

“I think we’ve seen him just scratch the surface,” Avalanche defenseman Erik Johnson said. “I just think he has another level, maybe not only offensively but on the defensive side of the puck too. I think he is learning that part of the game from our guys and Jared.

“We’re a team that’s really explosive offensively but also really good on the defensive side of the puck, too, and he’s learning that. He’s got more from his defensive game that’s only going to get better, and I think he’ll see his offense go up, too, spending less time in the defensive zone.”

Necas learned a lot about defense in Carolina with coach Rod Brind’Amour. Chicago Blackhawks forward Teuvo Teravainen, Necas’ teammate in Carolina from 2017-24, said it took Necas some time to develop his two-way game.

“There’s always been the skill and the speed, but especially in Carolina the systems and the team game was a big part of it." Teravainen said "Whenever we played good, everybody was doing that. I’m sure ‘Roddy’ was all over him with that part, too. Same with me. I got a lot better as the years went by with the two-way game. I don’t know how you say it, but when you have so much skill, so much speed and then how are you going to use it? You have to find the balance. You can’t just be flying around and just doing all the skill stuff.

“Sometimes you just have to play a simple game and the skill comes after. I’ve seen him learn that, for sure.”

When Necas first joined the Avalanche, he played right wing on the top line with center Nathan MacKinnon. But since the Avalanche acquired center Brock Nelson from the New York Islanders on March 6, he's played on his line.

Nelson said it’s nice to play with Necas, not against him.

“The guy, he can fly, he can wheel, (has) tons of skill,” Nelson said. “Definitely saw it firsthand playing against him, and I think when you see him in practice and what he’s working on and things he’s able to do [it] is pretty incredible. He has tons of skill, puck-handling and the speed at which he does it.

“To play with him is nice. He drives guys back, drives defenders back, creates space for himself, creates separation and confusion for the other guys, too. So, you get him the puck and he gets wheeling, you get open, he’s going to be able to find you.”

Despite the postseason experience with Carolina, Necas hasn’t come close to winning the Stanley Cup. The furthest the Hurricanes got was the Eastern Conference Final in 2023, but they were swept by the Florida Panthers.

The Avalanche, on the other hand, are vying for the Stanley Cup again after winning it in 2022. Necas is ready to help them do it.