TORONTO — A general manager’s job is never done.

Chris MacFarland is focused on improving the Avalanche ahead of the March 6 trade deadline. But he always has one eye on the future. In late October, MacFarland got ahead, signing Martin Necas to an eight-year, $92 million extension. That took care of his biggest question mark heading into next summer.

It wasn’t his only one.

Cap space isn’t a major issue for the Avalanche when looking ahead, but they’ll have to be careful. They have $12.75 million in cap space and 16 roster players already signed heading into next season. That cap number could be impacted depending on how the Avalanche plan to implement the $3 million in bonuses owed to Brent Burns.

While the Avalanche have cap space, that doesn’t mean they’ll want to use it all. You always must leave a little room for tinkering as the season goes on, and there are two players that could take up a good chunk of that space in Jack Drury and Sam Malinski.

Let’s start with the former. Drury, who turns 26 on Feb. 3, was the “other” piece that arrived one year ago in the blockbuster Mikko Rantanen trade. Immediately upon his arrival, he gained the trust of Jared Bednar and Nolan Pratt, who runs the penalty kill. His fourth line was the team’s most consistent in the first-round loss to Dallas, and when Charlie Coyle was dealt over the summer, that thrust Drury into a bigger role for the most of this season.

How he finishes the season could make his contract discussions all the more interesting.

With a goal on Sunday in Toronto, Drury tied his previous career high with eight. Considering there’s still more than 30 games left, it’s safe to assume he’s going to pass that number easily. Among all centers that have taken at least 400 face-offs, Drury ranks eighth in the NHL in face-off percentage at 58.7%. He’s also averaging nearly 2 minutes more in ice time than he ever has in his career. He’s second among Avalanche forwards in shorthanded time-on-ice.

Production gets you paid in the NHL, but intangibles, especially for a center, can bump up that price just a little bit. Drury is a pending restricted free agent, so the Avalanche can put this one on the back burner if they desire. But contracts for bottom-six forwards can be tricky. Whether it’s too much money or too much term, you have to be careful with how much you give to depth players, even if they’re very good at what they do.

Do the Avalanche think Drury can develop into the long-term third-line center, or do they still see him as a fourth-liner? How they view him will impact how his raise will be. He’s on a $1.75 million deal now.

A potential Malinski extension is even more fascinating because there must be more urgency to the situation. The 27-year-old started training camp as the team’s sixth defenseman. After the season he’s had, Malinski could be one of the more sought-after unrestricted free agents on the market.

If the Avalanche let him get there.

On Sunday, it wasn’t Brent Burns, Josh Manson or Sam Girard who trailed only Cale Makar in ice time during Colorado’s 4-1 win over Toronto. It was Malinski. With Devon Toews out, Malinski has seen more time with Makar than anyone, despite the fact that both are right-handed shots. The coaching staff made Malinski a healthy scratch in Games 1 and 2 of the playoff series against Dallas. But the trust is there now.

Malinski has already crushed his career high in points and assists. If he continues shooting the way he has, he’ll do the same with goals. With a potentially big contract extension looming off the ice, he’s focused on what he can do on the ice.

“I keep it out of my head, honestly,” Malinski said. “I’m just focused on one day at a time. The team we have this year is something pretty special, so (just) kind of enjoying it.”

With Burns turning 41 in March, Girard having only one year left on his current contract and top prospect Mikhail Gulyayev taking a step back in the KHL, re-signing Malinski should be the priority for MacFarland. They don’t have much else in the cupboard to replace him.

Whether they can make the best offer to Malinski remains to be seen. NHL players don’t often hit free agency. If that happens, the Avalanche likely won’t be the team making the highest offer. But is the grass always greener? The fit for Malinski in Colorado’s system is perfect, and it might be what keeps him in Denver.