Nathan MacKinnon doesn't need much help creating offense. But give him some and things can get scary for the opposition. Add Martin Necas to the mix and it's an absolute nightmare.
The Colorado Avalanche have opened the season with 14 goals in their first two games, tying a franchise record set by the 1992-92 Quebec Nordiques. Necas has been right in the middle of it. The 27-year old scored twice and added an assist in Colorado's 6-1 win over the St. Louis Blues Saturday night, helping the Avalanche improve to 2-0.
More importantly, the Avalanche's top line of Necas, MacKinnon and Artturi Lehkonen is already showing signs of becoming a problem for everyone else. The trio combined for three goals and eight points against the Blues. MacKinnon had three assists, Necas had three points, and Lehkonen scored his third goal in two games. Not bad for a night's work.
MacKinnon's ability to produce offense isn't exactly breaking news. He's spent years establishing himself as one of the NHL's most dangerous players. The Avalanche have spent those same years trying to make sure opponents can't simply load everything toward stopping him. Necas changes that equation.
The Avalanche acquired Necas in the Mikko Rantanen deal in January 2025, and he quickly showed what his speed and skill could look like next to MacKinnon. Now, with another season together and Lehkonen doing the dirty work alongside them, the combination looks considerably more comfortable. Saturday provided a pretty good example.
Necas helped set up Cale Makar's opening goal before scoring one of his own later in the first period. He added another in the second, finishing a dominant night in which the Avalanche had already built a 6-0 lead before the Dalibor Dvorsky finally scored for the Blues. But it wasn't just the offense.
The Avalanche held the Blues to four shots in the opening period. Mackenzie Blackwood faced 26 shots for the night and stopped 25 of them. Colorado's defensive work is one reason the offense has been able to flourish. That's probably the most encouraging part.
Colorado's stars are always going to score. MacKinnon will get his points and Makar will create offense from the blue line. The Avalanche know what they have with their dynamic duo. What could make the Avalanche particularly difficult to handle this season is what happens when an opponent focuses on MacKinnon and someone else makes them pay.
Necas is guilty as charged in that regard. MacKinnon has been one of the NHL's biggest problems for years. If Necas keeps playing like this, figuring out how to stop him might become an even bigger one.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nhl/avalanche/onsi as Martin Necas Giving Avalanche Star Nathan MacKinnon Exactly What He Needs .
