Necas: Trade to Avalanche 'working for my game'

Martin Necas is loving life with the Colorado Avalanche.

The dynamic forward has put up 12 points in 11 games - including three in Wednesday's win over the New Jersey Devils - since being acquired by in a blockbuster deal with the Carolina Hurricanes that sent Mikko Rantanen the other way.

"It's definitely working for my game," Necas told NHL.com's Derek Van Diest. "They're a puck-possession team, one of the best in the league for sure, along with Edmonton, I would say.

"It's just fun to play with these guys. They're great and it's been a real pleasure to play with these guys."

Necas and Rantanen are now equal with 67 points on the season, good for eighth in the NHL. Rantanen's struggled to produce in his new environment, registering only three points in eight games.

Carolina reportedly offered Rantanen an extension worth more than $100 million, but the pending unrestricted free agent hasn't made a decision yet. Plenty of talk has emerged about the Hurricanes flipping Rantanen prior to the March 7 trade deadline if an agreement isn't reached.

Necas has taken Rantanen's old spot on Nathan MacKinnon's line, and the league's leading scorer is impressed with his new running mate.

"I think we have a similar style of game." MacKinnon said. "We both like to carry it off the rush, we're both righties. I think we think both similar, so we can imagine where each other would be on the ice, so it's a lot of fun. He's a dynamic player, he's amazing, and it's been good so far."