Necas was sent to the Avalanche with forward Jack Drury, a second-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft and a fourth-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft in a three-team trade also involving the Chicago Blackhawks. He played his first game for Colorado one day later, a 3-1 loss at the Boston Bruins.

Compared with the disjointed jumble they were the night before, the Wild debuted like a jigsaw against the Avalanche. They were cohesive and competitive, skating night-and-day better than when they were dumped by five goals Thursday by Utah Hockey Club.

Leon Draisaitl and Nathan MacKinnon are tied in points, making the 2024-25 Art Ross Trophy race one of the closest finishes in recent history. While Draisaitl’s goal-scoring earns him a slight edge, MacKinnon's playmaking abilities keep him a strong contender.

Jonathan Drouin and Jack Drury scored 52 seconds apart in a three-goal second period and the Colorado Avalanche beat weary Minnesota 5-2 on Friday night to pull even with the third-place Wild in the Central Division.

Mikko Rantanen's stint with the Carolina Hurricanes started off rocky, and fans in Raleigh had salt rubbed in the wound as Martin Necas issued a blunt admission about playing alongside Nathan MacKinnon with the Colorado Avalanche.