Although some of Chris MacFarland’s decisions as Colorado Avalanche general manager have drawn criticism, one move is already aging like a masterpiece: locking up Martin Necas before the NHL’s salary market reached another level.

Timing matters in the NHL. With the salary cap expected to rise significantly in the coming seasons, elite players are going to command contracts that reshape the league’s financial landscape. MacFarland understood that window was closing and secured one of Colorado’s most valuable offensive weapons before his price tag became almost impossible to manage.

The recent contract handed to Chicago Blackhawks superstar Connor Bedard shows exactly why the Necas extension could become one of MacFarland’s smartest moves.

Bedard, who has played only three NHL seasons, has already dealt with multiple injuries, including a shoulder injury that required surgery during offseason training. Despite the setback and an expected return timeline that could keep him out until November, Chicago still committed $15 million per season over five years to its franchise cornerstone.

And while Bedard’s contract reflects his immense potential, the comparison is what makes Colorado’s decision stand out.

Bedard is coming off an impressive season with 75 points, including 30 goals and 45 assists. Those are franchise-player numbers for a 20-year-old. But Necas entered the offseason fresh off a breakout campaign of his own, recording his first 100-point season with 38 goals and 62 assists in 78 games.

Yet Colorado locked him in at $11.5 million annually for the next eight years.

Say what you want about some of MacFarland’s trades or decisions during his time running the Avalanche, but this contract was a home run. He identified Necas’ value before the rest of the league had the chance to reset the market.

Because the reality is simple: if Colorado waited any longer, this contract could have looked dramatically different.

Had Necas reached free agency or negotiated after another elite season, the Avalanche could have been looking at a $14 million or even $15 million annual commitment. That type of deal would have forced Colorado into an entirely different roster-building strategy.

Jack Drury, Ross Colton and Valeri Nichushkin would still be gone, but the Avalanche likely would have had far fewer resources to add depth pieces and round out the lineup. The moves made following MacFarland’s departure to become general manager and president of hockey operations for the Nashville Predators may not have been possible under a much tighter salary structure.

Colorado’s current roster already faces questions about depth. But the situation could have been significantly worse if MacFarland had waited to finalize Necas’ extension.

In a league where timing can determine the future of a franchise, MacFarland made sure the Avalanche got ahead of the curve.

And for that decision, Colorado should be thankful.