Evan Rodrigues Might Be Avalanche’s Secret Weapon

Nathan MacKinnon’s new contract was easily the biggest deal of the offseason for the Colorado Avalanche. But there was another contract that flew under the radar a bit. The Avs brought in forward Evan Rodrigues on a one-year, $2 million deal late in free agency that could be a boon for a team with some uncertainty on its second line.

Rodrigues is coming off a career year with the Pittsburgh Penguins and was brought in to provide some stability in the middle of a forward group that lost a big piece in Nazem Kadri to free agency. Despite the little amount of buzz around this late signing, this could be a very good acquisition for Colorado as they try to defend their Stanley Cup crown.

Rodrigues’ Value Is Versatility

Last season was a big one for Rodrigues. The 29-year-old broke out with 19 goals and 24 assists for 43 points, with all those easily being career highs. He’d never scored more than nine goals in a season before the last campaign. Colorado is clearly hoping for that type of season again, but the biggest value Rodrigues brings is his versatility. He showed last season he can get himself on the scorer’s sheet, but he also shines defensively. He’s a great two-way player that thrives in a shutdown role, making him an asset coach Jared Bednar can put anywhere.

Rodrigues can play every position across the front, and that plug-and-play ability could make him very valuable for a team with a lot of different offensive weapons. That versatility will be tested early, as the Avalanche will be without captain Gabriel Landeskog for the first part of the season due to injury. Rodrigues’ defense never takes a night off. However, if he can show the ability to score from multiple spots in the lineup and with a variety of different linemates, he’ll find himself logging lots of minutes in Bednar’s system.

Avalanche’s Style Makes for a Good Fit

There is no secret regarding what the Avalanche want to do on game day. They want to get out and fly. There is nowhere to hide from the high-pressure game of the Avs, and Rodrigues should fit right in with his penchant for zone entries and generating scoring chances off the rush. Rodrigues loves to get out and go in transition and brings a pretty rocking shot. Because he’s been in the league for seven years, he also brings a lot of awareness. That helps him use the threat of that shot to distribute the puck pretty well – and the…