Martin Necas is proving to be one of the best pickups in recent NHL memory, lighting it up since joining the Colorado Avalanche in the Rantanen deal.
The former Hurricane has been absolutely flying, putting up 45 points in just 33 games this season. That’s after dropping 28 points in 30 games right after the trade last year.
And here’s why it’s not just a hot streak – Necas is literally one of the fastest players in the NHL. His top speed hits 23.24 mph, putting him in the top 5% of all players. Even more impressive? He’s one of the best at making quick bursts of speed, ranking near the top of the league in both 20-22 mph and 22+ mph accelerations.
The Avs clearly love what they’re seeing. They’ve already locked him up with a huge contract extension.
Playing alongside speedster Nathan MacKinnon seems to be the perfect fit for Necas’s style. Don’t expect him to slow down anytime soon.
Meanwhile, Morgan Geekie’s hot start with the Bruins might be too good to be true. He’s already netted 24 goals in 34 games, but his shooting percentage is through the roof at 28.2% – way above his career average.
The math suggests he’ll cool off a bit. At his current pace of 2.5 shots per game, he’s more likely to end up around 44 goals than the 58 he’s currently tracking for.
Tyler Bertuzzi’s having a nice run in Chicago too, grinding it out for young stars Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar. With 16 goals and 26 points in 30 games, he’s been exactly what the Blackhawks needed.
But there are some red flags. His shooting percentage is 25% – about 10 points higher than his career average. Plus, with Bedard now out long-term with an injury, Bertuzzi might find those scoring chances harder to come by.
He’ll probably hit 20 goals for the third straight season, but 30 might be a stretch.
As for Celebrini? The kid’s been so good, don’t be shocked to see him wearing Team Canada’s colors at the Olympics in February.
