Martin Necas Stays with Avalanche in Massive $92 Million Extension
The Colorado Avalanche have locked in one of their brightest stars for the long haul. Forward Martin Necas has officially signed an eight-year contract extension worth a whopping $92 million, carrying an average annual value of $11.5 million. The deal, which is front-loaded with $60 million in signing bonuses and includes a full no-move clause for the first seven years, cements Necas as a cornerstone piece in Colorado’s future.
This signing was one of the biggest talking points heading into the 2025–26 NHL season. Necas, who’s been on fire since the start of the campaign, has already notched seven goals and six assists for 13 points in his first 11 games. That performance put even more pressure on the Avalanche front office to get a deal done before his value rose any higher. And now, with both sides finding common ground, Necas will continue to wear the Avalanche colors for the next decade.
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Fans in Denver can breathe a sigh of relief. The situation had shades of déjà vu from when the team negotiated with Mikko Rantanen years ago — another tense standoff that ultimately worked out. This time, the team acted swiftly, ensuring that Necas wouldn’t even come close to testing free agency.
But while Colorado celebrates, this move sends ripples across the league. For those tracking the 2026 free-agent class, Necas’s extension is another major blow. Over the past month, a string of elite players who were set to become unrestricted free agents have chosen to stay with their current teams. Kirill Kaprizov, Connor McDavid, Kyle Connor, and Jack Eichel have all signed major extensions, and now Necas joins that elite group.
That leaves far fewer stars potentially available when July 1, 2026 rolls around. Among the remaining big names, Artemi Panarin of the New York Rangers and Adrian Kempe of the Los Angeles Kings are still without new deals. However, negotiations are expected to move slowly — especially in Panarin’s case, as the Rangers evaluate their performance under new head coach Mike Sullivan before making a long-term decision.
Meanwhile, veterans like Alex Ovechkin, Patrick Kane, and Evgeni Malkin could still headline the market, though it’s hard to picture some of them leaving their longtime homes.
For now, though, the spotlight belongs to Martin Necas. His stellar play and growing influence on the Avalanche roster made this extension feel inevitable. And with this deal finalized, Colorado’s championship window looks firmly open — and the 2026 free-agent frenzy just got a whole lot quieter.
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