NHL Shockwaves: Martin Necas, Patrik Laine, and Evgeny Kuznetsov Linked to Surprising Trade Frenzy

Navigating the complex maze of NHL contracts and player dynamics always keeps the hockey world buzzing, right? Take Martin Necas—he shattered personal records last season and might just blow past 90 points this year with Nathan MacKinnon by his side. But here’s the kicker: with the salary cap creeping up and comparables soaring, Necas is eyeing a paycheck north of $10 million. That’s edging dangerously close to Mikko Rantanen’s hefty $12 million contract. Could Necas be on the path to pricing himself out of Colorado like Rantanen once did? Then there’s Cale Makar, whose looming extension might just push the Avalanche’s budget to the brink, adding even more pressure on Necas’s negotiations. Meanwhile, over in Montreal, Patrik Laine’s fortunes seem to be declining under Coach Martin St. Louis, sliding down to the fourth line with his contract winding down. If he doesn’t turn things around soon, a fresh start elsewhere might be on the horizon. And don’t miss the intriguing saga of Evgeny Kuznetsov, who despite NHL offers, opted to stay in the KHL—prioritizing family over the ice. The NHL landscape is in flux, and these stories are just the tip of the iceberg. LEARN MORE

Will Martin Necas price himself out of Colorado, and is Patrik Laine playing himself out of Montreal?

Michael Amato of Sportsnet: Martin Necas put up a career-high 83 points last season, and could top 90 this season playing alongside Nathan MacKinnon. With the rising cap and recent comparables, Necas will be looking for over $10 million a season. He may not be far off from Mikko Rantanen’s $12 million. Will Necas price himself out of Colorado like Rantanen did?

Necas likely won’t get more than MacKinnon’s $12.6 million, but a Cale Makar extension will be more. Makar is eligible for an extension this offseason, and he could be Kirill Kaprizov range. Going $10-$11 million for Necas could make things tight.

Do the Avs play out the year with Necas and potentially lose him for nothing, or do they move him before the deadline like they did with Rantanen?

Patrik Laine seems to be falling out of favor with head coach Martin St. Louis, dating back to the end of last season. Laine’s been playing on the fourth line, while in the last season of his contract at $8.7 million. The 27-year-old could be looking for a change of scenery next season if he doesn’t turn things around.

Unanswered questions and family kept Evgeny Kuznetsov from returning to the NHL this season

Sammi Silber of The Hockey News: The 33-year-old Evgeny Kuznetsov said that he did have NHL offers, but in the end, he decided to sign with Metallurg of the KHL. He told MatchTV that he wanted to play in the KHL for at least one more year because of unanswered questions about his play.

There was a rumor that the Pittsburgh Penguins were one of the interested teams, but Kuznetsov said that wasn’t true.

“I didn’t have an option with Pittsburgh — they said no right away.”

Kuznetsov noted to Sport-Express that he wanted to remain close to family as well.

“I don’t know why no one believes I had NHL offers. I just didn’t want to go back there myself. As I said, there are too many questions about my game from people who, in my opinion, do not understand hockey. And I want not to prove something to them, but to please (my) relatives and friends with a good season. So I didn’t want to go far — I wanted to be there for parents, children, wife, maybe even a grandmother could come to the games.”

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