Colorado Avalanche star forward called out in brutal postseason ranking
Photo credit: Michael Martin / Mile High Hockey
One Colorado Avalanche player earned the unfortunate honour of being named to The Athletic's Postseason All-Bust Team.
Avalanche winger Martin Necas landed on the humiliating list, which reflects a roundup of NHL standouts who came up short of expectations in this year's playoffs.
Colorado Avalanche star called out in brutal postseason ranking.
Nestor Quixtan from Mile High Sticking writes that the list features big names like Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck and Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews.
Among them is Necas, whose underwhelming playoff performance earned him a spot. Necas managed just five points (1 goal, 4 assists) during the Avalanche's seven-game battle with the Dallas Stars, falling short of postseason expectations.
"It's not that Necas had a bad postseason. It's that his production paled in comparison to Mikko Rantanen's, the player he replaced in Colorado. The piece underscores how Necas' performance was magnified given the way Rantanen ran away with the series down the final three games or so." -Quixtan
Necas will be remembered as a postseason underachiever this year. However, a full season under head coach Jared Bednar and within the Avalanche's system could be exactly what he needs. The team hopes that with the right fit, Necas can help them bounce back from recent playoff letdowns and reignite their championship aspirations.
"Yes, the Avalanche were eliminated in the first round. But so were eight other teams. Moreover, the series went to seven games, as expected. The Avs pushed the Stars to the brink but came up painfully short. With the exception of Game 5, which Dallas won 6-2, the Avs' three other losses were hardly stinkers. The Avs followed up that 6-2 loss with a 7-4 win. The Avs also blew out the Stars 5-1 and 4-0, showing the club had the wherewithal to win the series." -Quixtan
Necas had no choice but to try and fill some very big shoes, but he did show some flashes of being up to the task. The hope is that he can build on that foundation next season. As for the Stars, they're banking on their bold move to acquire and sign Rantanen to turn into a long-term win. Only time will tell if the gamble pays off.
| POLL | ||
MAI 30 | 33 ANSWERS Colorado Avalanche star forward called out in brutal postseason ranking Were you disappointed with Martin Necas' play in the postseason this year? | ||
| yes | 22 | 66.7 % |
| no | 11 | 33.3 % |
| List of polls | ||
TRENDING NOW
