Evan Rodrigues spent 62 days on the NHL free agent market waiting for the perfect opportunity.

He found it in Colorado.

“You try and stay as patient as you can. But it’s hard at the same time. Once it happened, I was so happy and excited,” Rodrigues told The Gazette from his new Avalanche dressing room stall at the team’s practice facility for training camp. “I wanted to get out there and wanted to get started. I kind of just haven’t stopped. I haven’t had time to think about it.”

Let it all sink in.

Rodrigues, after a breakout 43-point season in Pittsburgh, is on the cusp of becoming a top-six Avalanche forward. He might be Nazem Kadri’s replacement at second-line center. Rodrigues is needed more than ever with Gabe Landeskog (lower-body injury) not expected to be available to start the year.

It’s all happening so quickly. Rodrigues found a place to live Wednesday and his family — wife, Christina, and two young boys, Grayson and Noah — moved Friday to Denver. He just bought a car.

“I’m trying to fit in, lay low and kind of get my bearings,” said Rodrigues, a four-year collegiate standout at Boston University (2011-15). “As camp goes on, I’ll start to feel more comfortable.”

Ask Jared Bednar and the acclimation process is well underway. The Avalanche coach deployed Rodrigues at second-line winger in early Group 1 practices alongside center Alex Newhook and winger Alex Galchenyuk (professional tryout). Rodrigues joined the top line with Nathan MacKinnon and Artturi Lehkonen on the third day of training camp.

Bednar left especially impressed.

“I liked (Rodrigues) a lot,” Bednar said. “Real good puck poise and patience. A smart player. Has the ability to pass and shoot. I thought he made some nice plays out there even in the small area game at the end. … An elusive guy. He’s got some good deception to his game. He’s going to be a real nice addition.”

Rodrigues didn’t provide details, however, it’s safe to assume he turned down more lucrative contracts to sign in Colorado. His one-year, $2-million contract is essentially a prove-it deal. MacKinnon explained: “When you’re an elite team, guys will bet on themselves with us.”

Rodrigues went undrafted in 2015 and entered the NHL as a complimentary player in Buffalo and Pittsburgh. His mindset began to shift last season, his seventh in the league, in taking more control over his own game. Rodrigues demanded the puck. Points followed.

“I’ve always had that mentality where I feel most confident when the puck is on my stick,” Rodrigues said. “I like having the puck and making plays. When I get into a complimentary role, then that’s when my game starts to lack. Last year, playing center and top-six minutes, getting the puck a lot, it just reinforced that belief.”

Rodrigues aims to bring that same mentality to the Avalanche this season.

“You always want to play the most minutes that you can. No one in this room is going to say: ‘I want to play ten minutes.’ They’d be lying to you,” Rodrigues said. “But at the end of the day, winning is the most important thing. If you help team win, you’re going to have success.”