Rodrigues scares me, a 4 year deal even more so. I think the Avs really think they have their 2C and 3C and for that matter 4C on the roster in Newhook, Meyers, Maltsev/Bowers. But that’s my opinion.

Don't know much about e-rod but I watched his highlights from last year, seemed like a good portion of his goals were on the PP taking the ovi/mack slapper from the left circle.. I doubt he gets much pp time in Colorado as Bodnar usually throws PP1 out there for 90 seconds usually..

I'd still rather Stastny who has an amazing hockey IQ is great in the dot, and can pass like crazy.. if he's up for a 1yr deal and 3c or 2c if newhook can't handle it.

My second choice would be to take a chance on that Sam steel kid and see what he can do on a more skilled team.

E-Rod has really good underlying numbers, even away from the big boys so I'm not worried about his two-way game; it's a hell of a lot better than JTC's, that's for sure. $2.5M is pretty fair for a 3C that you expect to chip in maybe 30 points which is not at all out of the question for him.

The question with Meyers is, will he be played at C or LW? Maltsev and Bowers (who isn't even signed yet and has never played an NHL game) are not legit options for the Avs so far as I can tell; the Avs just seem to not be high on either of them.

E-Rod had 19 goals last season - 7 of them came on the PP; that's maybe a little more than you like but he was filling in for Sid and Geno while they were out. He also had only 1 assist on the PP so 23 even-strength assists. So, overall, 8 of his 43 points (18%) came on the PP; he was pretty solid at even-strength. I could see him, rather than JTC, playing the bumper on the PP or on PP2.

Steel looks like he might be a decent option, too. The thing I don't like about Stastny is that he would only be a one year guy and he doesn't have much in the way of wheels left. Don't get me wrong, I'd be happy to have him but then they may be right back in the "looking for a 3C" boat again next offseason. Would kind of be nice to lock that position down in a post-JTC world so they can look at other positions.

With burakovsky gone, pp2 probably uses compher to skate the puck into the zone.. I'm envisioning big Val to play bumper on PP1 this year...

Technically colorado already has a built in 3c in compher, if they use newhook at 2c or vice versa... so technically all we need is a middle 6 forward, if Myers and LOC are up for it that would leave helm, cogliano, and a stand in (mcdermid, kaut, the Swedish 1st rd pick from last year).

Which doesn't leave a lot of room for injuries so a 1yr deal with Stastny his speed wouldn't be an issue if he could just win 60% of playoffs

I don't like JTC as a C at all - his underlying numbers are pretty bad. I really hope they don't re-sign him when there are cheaper options available that can do what he does but better. As far as I'm concerned, LOC is a 4th liner, period. We have yet to see what Meyers will be able to do. Like I said, I don't mind Staz but they'll just end up in the same position they're in now next offseason.

High enough to give them a second contract and qualify them in Bowers. I don’t think the Avs can have $2.5M slotted at 3C especially if MacK gets in the neighborhood of $12M annually down the road unless they are willing to move somebody on defense and even then realistically that money goes to Byram. COL is not at the TBL roster construction point where the bottom 6 needs to be guys making less than $1.5M maybe less.