He will be well insulated by 2 excellent wingers, regardless of what top 6 wingers play with him.

Important to figure out if he can do it

A podcast was talking about how rantanen would probably drop to the 2nd line in order to help newhook while moving up either Val or lecky

I hope GMCM and Beds will have a new outlook on developing players. Let Newhook run with Landy or Rants and he will be in good hands. It should be a given the Avs make the playoffs. Getting Kaut, Maltsev, Bowers(?) and Ranta some looks will be really important for next season when the cap really becomes their enemy.

Yeah, that's the way I'm starting to see it, too - they need to give him significant time at 2C and let him learn. What I'd like to see, though, is a better option for 3C than JTC; the guy is just not consistent or even all that good at defense.

someone like stastny could honestly be a good addition, he feels like an avs player IMO

the team def lacks a bit of depth from last year, but playoffs are still pretty certain

Even with the loss of Naz, Bura and Kuemps, they should be at or near the top of the West. The question becomes if they trust what they have come playoff time. I think they definitely add someone up front before camp: Staz, Steel, E-Rod, someone like that.

At this current moment, unknown, at the pro level he has show he has the skill, iq, and defensive awareness to be a future 2c.

By the end or mid point of the season it’s not unrealistic to have him establish and settle himself into that job

Until then you are Banking on his potential, and what he can do, I would be cautiously optimistic he will be a 2c

I would be shocked if Compher doesn't get 20 games, just so Bednar can say he got his veteran opportunity. And Compher can feel rewarded for years of faithful service. Then Newhook takes over

I agree, it's a bit unsure with him. He certainly has the potential. but it's unclear if/when he'll reach that level

Yep, I agree. Along the wing they're fine, there's a bit of room for improvement but no major cause for concern, their defense is top of the league, and their goaltending has potential. The only real problem is their center depth. Even if we assume Newhook breaks out, I wouldn't say Compher comes close to what Newhook brought as a 3c, and if they lose any of their top 3 centers, the next players on the depth chart are Darren Helm and maybe Lukas Sedlak. Theoretically, Landeskog could play center, but that would just be shifting the problem. If they could pick up Staz for ~2M, it'd be pretty perfect

Agree that they need the depth and that JTC is not a reliable C of any kind - he's just never shown that consistency or the ability to make those around him better.

It’s easier to dream on Newhook as a 2c over Jost, etc,
I think the safe bet for Newhook is he’s a 3c who can moonlight in the top 6 when needed l

Maxes out potential he’s a solid 2c.

I rather they try him and 2c by committee until the tdl to assess the need, signing stastny to help mentor him yo be one and be a 2c in spot duty would be nice. I prefer signing Rodrigues as a player but stastny can mentor

E-Rod has a higher ceiling than Stastny, but as you said Stastny's experience means he can mentor Newhook. I also like Stastny's consistency, he's always around 20 goals and 50 pts, with a good faceoff record, and defensively responsible, so he's a good middle 6 center regardless. He can fill in as a 2c, but ideally Newhook would take that spot sooner rather than later. If they need to, they can trade for someone like J.T. Miller at the deadline