The Bruins will officially not get the chance to target this star next summer.
It is no secret that the Boston Bruins need another star forward badly. Unfortunately, another one of the NHL's top pending unrestricted free agents (UFAs) will officially not be hitting the market next summer.
The Colorado Avalanche have announced that they have signed star forward Martin Necas to an eight-year contract extension. According to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, Necas' new deal comes with an average annual value of $11.5 million.
Necas has been viewed as a potential dream target for quite some time. It is understandable, as he is a high-impact forward who can play both center and right wing. Furthermore, he has played internationally for Czechia with Bruins forwards David Pastrnak and Pavel Zacha, so it would have been awesome to have them play together for Boston. Yet, with Necas signing a long-term extension with the Avalanche, that thought can now be forgotten.
Necas has appeared in 11 games so far this season with the Avalanche, where he has recorded seven goals, six assists, 13 points, and a plus-7 rating. This is after he scored 27 goals and set new career highs with 56 assists and 83 points in 79 games this past season split between the Carolina Hurricanes and Avalanche.
With Necas off the board, the top pending UFAs for next summer include Adrian Kempe, Artemi Panarin, Alex Tuch, and Nick Schmaltz.