The Colorado Avalanche did not just sign Jaden Schwartz for what he can do when everything goes according to plan.

They signed him for the moments when it doesn't.

A center gets tossed from the faceoff circle. A winger needs to move up the lineup. The power play needs another option. An injury forces the Avalanche to reshuffle their forward group.

Schwartz can potentially answer all of those problems.

That is what makes the 34-year-old's arrival in Colorado so intriguing. He brings a Stanley Cup ring, more than a decade of NHL experience and a level of versatility that could make him one of the Avalanche's most useful supporting pieces.

There is just one problem.

Schwartz has spent a significant portion of his career unavailable to use any of it.

Across the previous 14 full seasons of his career, Schwartz has missed 294 games — nearly three and a half full NHL seasons' worth of hockey. Now, at 34 years old and signed to a three-year contract carrying a $3.25 million annual cap hit, the Avalanche are betting on his availability.

Over the past three seasons alone, Schwartz has missed 53 games. Still, there is plenty to like about what he brings when he is on the ice. His skill, experience and ability to help lead a team in the right direction are undeniable. That combination of upside and uncertainty is what makes his arrival in Colorado so fascinating.

The Avalanche did not necessarily need another player capable of carrying a line by himself. Their roster is already built around some of the best players in hockey. What they needed was another piece who could fit around them.

Schwartz can play throughout the lineup. He can move into a scoring role, settle into the middle six or take on a different assignment depending on what Colorado needs that night. He can contribute on special teams and gives the Avalanche another experienced forward who can adjust when the lineup inevitably changes.

Colorado knows how quickly a season can change the complexion of a roster. Injuries happen. Players go cold. Chemistry disappears. A line that looks perfect in October might not survive until January.

Having another forward who can move around without completely disrupting the rest of the lineup gives the Avalanche options.

Schwartz should also have a relatively comfortable transition into his new surroundings.

Long before he became a veteran NHL forward, Schwartz made his mark at Colorado College. In two seasons, he recorded 88 points in 60 games, establishing himself as one of the most productive players in college hockey before the St. Louis Blues selected him 14th overall in the 2010 NHL Draft.

More than a decade later, he is returning to a place he already knows — only this time, the expectations are significantly different.

Schwartz enters Colorado with 14 seasons of NHL experience and a Stanley Cup championship on his résumé. He spent the first 10 seasons of his career with the Blues and played an important role on their 2019 championship team before becoming one of the veteran leaders of the Seattle Kraken.

That experience could prove valuable to an Avalanche team that has struggled to get back to the Stanley Cup Final in the years since its 2022 championship.

There is also an encouraging sign that Schwartz is taking the opportunity in Colorado seriously. As first reported by Hockey Mountain High, he was among the first players to show up for optional skates at Family Sports Center this offseason. For a player whose availability is the biggest question surrounding his arrival, seeing him putting in the work early is certainly a positive sign.

There is also a familiar face waiting for him in Colorado.

Schwartz spent four seasons in Seattle playing under current Avalanche assistant coach Dave Hakstol. That relationship gives him an immediate connection to Colorado's coaching staff and should help make the transition to a new team a little easier.

So while Schwartz is returning to Colorado as a much different player than the one who left Colorado College years ago, this is not exactly unfamiliar territory.

Schwartz's ability to step into the faceoff circle gives Colorado another small, but potentially important, layer of flexibility.

Last season, Schwartz won 59.3 percent of his faceoffs.

That number becomes even more interesting when compared with Jack Drury, who established himself as one of the league's premier fourth-line centers. Drury won 58.1 percent of his draws during the regular season before becoming even better in the playoffs, where he posted a 61.3 percent faceoff percentage.

Schwartz's regular-season mark was actually higher than Drury's.

Of course, that does not mean Schwartz should suddenly be viewed as a full-time center. Faceoff volume and role matter, and Drury's responsibilities were entirely different.

But it is another reason to believe Schwartz can give the Avalanche something they did not have before.

The fit looks good.

Now they just need him in the lineup long enough to prove it.