One of the biggest named available free agents remaining is officially off the board, as the Colorado Avalanche announced on Monday that they have signed Evan Rodrigues to a one-year, $2 million contract.
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After a strong 2021-22 season in which he put up career highs with 19 goals and 43 points in 82 outings, many expected Rodrigues to get a multi-year deal with an average annual value as high as $4 million, though that ultimately never came to fruition. The reason behind that is likely due to the fact that the 29-year-old failed to crack the 30-point barrier in any of his previous seasons, leaving teams hesitant on what exactly he can bring.
Like many, Rodrigues benefits from playing with skill, a big part of the reason as to why he had the success he did this past season with the Penguins. Joining the Avalanche is a very ideal fit, as they boast top end skill up and down their lineup, meaning he will have a chance to produce regardless of the line he is placed on.
After winning the Stanley Cup this past season, the Avalanche lost a few key forwards to free agency in Nazem Kadri and Andrei Burakovsky. Rodrigues will by no means replace either, he will chip in with some secondary scoring that will help make up for the loss. If given power play time, there is reason to believe he can once again reach the 40-point mark in 2022-23, which would likely set him up for a bigger pay day next offseason.
This deal will mean the Avalanche have a slight bit of cap to clear, as they had just $1.9 million in space before the signing. That said, general manager Joe Sakic likely already has a plan in mind in order to straighten this out, and has time to do so.
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