2. Paul Gaustad
Position: C Age: 34 Shoots: L 2015-2016 team: Nashville Predators 2015-2016 stats: GP: 63 G: 2 A: 4 P: 6 PIM: 46 +/-: -4
The Avalanche are looking to improve their puck possession numbers. A simple way to accomplish this is to win faceoffs.
There are very few better at accomplishing this than Gaustad. Last season, Gaustad won 55.31 percent of his draws. While that is a great number, it actually represented his worst mark since the 2008-2009 season. In his career, he has won 56.3 percent, and he hasn’t won at a mark less than 52 percent since 2002-2003, when he suited up for one game (his first in the NHL) for the Buffalo Sabres.
He is physical and defensively responsible. He is the kind of fourth-line center that you will find on championship contenders.
