DENVER - Jarome Iginla felt a little more youthful on his 37th birthday even as he became the old man of the Colorado Avalanche. Hes energized by the challenge of not only trying to keep up with the likes of speedy forward Nathan MacKinnon, who is half Iginlas age, but also of helping this rising squad take another step in its growth. "I dont want to be arrogant, but I still believe I can be very good," said Iginla, who celebrated his birthday Tuesday by signing a three-year, $16 million deal with Colorado. "And this is a dynamic group. I think they work hard and theyre committed, and theyre just going to keep getting better and better." The Avs are coming off a season in which they tied a franchise record with 52 wins in Patrick Roys first year behind the bench and returned to the post-season for the first time since 2009-10. Among their top priorities in the off-season? Adding some grizzled veterans to the squad. First, the team picked up veteran forward Daniel Briere from Montreal for right wing P.A. Parenteau and a fifth-round pick in next years draft. Then, Colorado acquired defenceman Brad Stuart from the San Jose Sharks for a second-round pick in 2016 and a sixth-rounder in 2017. On Tuesday afternoon, shortly after losing fan favourite Paul Stastny in free agency — he signed a four-year, $28 million deal with division rival St. Louis — the Avs worked out a deal with Iginla. It wasnt a laborious task, especially given the friendship between Iginla and Avalanche Hall of Famer turned executive Joe Sakic. The two have been tight since their days with Team Canada and when Sakic made his pitch, Iginla intently listened. Then again, one of Iginlas kids is named Joe at least in part because of Sakic. "(Sakic) is a winner so it definitely had something to do with this," Iginla said. Iginla has played in 1,310 regular season games with Calgary, Pittsburgh and Boston. He had 30 goals in 78 games for the Bruins last season. "Jaromes track record speaks for itself," Sakic said. "He is one of the top goal scorers of all time, as well as a great leader. His addition will bolster our offence." As for being the elder statesman of the team, Iginla just laughed. "I feel good," said Iginla, whos earned two Olympic gold medals with Canada. "As far as my game dropping off, I dont think it will. ... I dont come here expecting to do less." He joins a team that captured a surprise Central Division crown. The turnaround of the Avalanche led to quite a few post-season awards, too, with Roy taking home coach of the year, MacKinnon being named the top rookie and Ryan OReilly capturing the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy for gentlemanly play. Semyon Varlamov also was a finalist for outstanding goaltender, which went to Tuukka Rask of Boston. Sakic was hoping to return the nucleus for another run, but wasnt about to break the bank to make that happen. Sakic said two weeks ago the team had a salary structure in place, setting the financial bar in deals with Varlamov, Matt Duchene and captain Gabriel Landeskog. These days, Sakic is attempting to work out a long-term deal with OReilly, a restricted free agent who led the team with a career-high 28 goals in 2013-14. In the meantime, Sakic orchestrated a deal to add the 34-year-old Stuart in order to bring more tenacity to the Avalanches blue line. He was third on the Sharks in blocked shots (114) and hits (122) last season. Stuart may be called upon to mentor defenceman Nick Holden, who signed a three-year extension that runs through the 2017-18 season. Briere is another scorer who could help offset the loss of Stastny. Iginla likes the additions of Stuart and Briere. "Its kind of neat to join a new team, but also having other guys in the same boat and get to come in together," Iginla said. "Thats pretty cool." One of the enduring images in Avalanche history is Sakic passing the Stanley Cup over to Ray Bourque for him to hoist after their win in 2001. See Landeskog doing the same for Iginla one day? "Thats a hope," Iginla said. "These guys, theyre driven. I think there are lots of good things already happening." ___ AP Hockey Writer Larry Lage contributed. Rollie Fingers Jersey . That Ginette Reno can sing. Orlando Arcia Brewers Jersey . 1 Pete Sampras. Speaking ahead of an exhibition match against Andre Agassi in London on March 3, Sampras said on a conference call Wednesday that he is impressed by Federers longevity. https://www.cheapbrewers.com/. He left in the 4th inning of Saturdays game against the Tigers after experiencing tightness. Reyes and the team still hope that he will be ready for Opening Day in Tampa Bay in one week. Adrian Houser Jersey . -- A deflected pass that landed in DeSean Jacksons hands. Trent Grisham Brewers Jersey . Jamies number grades given are out of five, with five being the best mark. Steve Mason, Philadelphia (4) - Mason was brilliant all night long with save after big save on Benoit Pouliot, Carl Hagelin and Derick Brassard. MILWAUKEE -- After a stretch of inconsistency, Matt Garza is beginning to resemble the pitcher the Brewers envisioned when they signed him to a $50 million deal last off-season. Garza took a shutout into the seventh inning and Mark Reynolds hit a two-run homer, sending Milwaukee to a 6-2 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Monday night. "This was a really nice ballgame," Brewers manager Ron Roenicke said. "He came out with a great fastball, he located it well, it had life on it. His sliders were outstanding. He threw good curveballs, so yes, I thought this was a really good game for him." Garza (3-4) scattered six hits over 6 1-3 scoreless innings against the team that brought him to the big leagues in 2006. Garza, signed to a four-year contract as a free agent, struck out eight and walked two for his first win since May 5. "Ive been feeling good," Garza said after his best outing since his first start of the season, when he allowed one run and two hits in eight innings of a 1-0 loss to Atlanta. "Baby steps. Ive felt great. My mechanics are where I want them to be and Im getting back to where Ive been." Kyle Gibson (4-5) allowed four runs and six hits in six innings. Gibson has won just one of his last eight starts after winning his first three. The Brewers took a 2-0 lead in the fourth on consecutive RBI singles by Jonathan Lucroy and Carlos Gomez. Reynolds followed Scooter Gennetts leadoff double in the fifth with an opposite-field shot to right for his team-leading 13th home run to make it 4-0. "I just made the wrong pitch," Gibson said. "I had a guy on second with less than two outs and I had gotten Reynolds away his first at-bat. And any good hitter right there is trying to move the runner over to third. And I got beat on not my best pitch. I threw him a four-seamer away and the sinkers obviously my best pitch. A sinker there, Id probably feel a whole lot better about it. Should have gone in. He was trying to hit a ball the other way and I gave him the pitch he needed to do it." Milwaukee added an unearned run in the seventh and another on Lucroys third homer in the eighth. After three perfect innings by Gibson, Jean Segura opened the fourth with his sixth bunt hit of the season. Segura advanced tto second on Ryan Brauns groundout and scored on Lucroys single up the middle, with Lucroy going to second on the throw.dddddddddddd Gomez followed with another single back through the box. "They earned their way on," Gibson said. "The great bunt by Segura to start the inning, then Lucroy hit the ball up the middle. I got Gomez in a good situation, threw him a good slider and he did what good hitters do, he put the ball in play and found the hole with it." Milwaukee scored in the seventh on consecutive two-out errors by third baseman Trevor Plouffe. The Twins got a run in the eighth on an RBI infield single by Josh Willingham and another in the ninth on an RBI infield single by Brian Dozier. Minnesota, which stranded nine runners, squandered several scoring chances against Garza. Joe Mauer doubled with one out in the first, but was stranded at third. Mauer doubled again to open the fourth and did not advance. In the fifth, Gibson singled with two outs for his first major league hit and Dozier followed with a double, but Mauer struck out to end the inning. "It was more about keeping the runs off the board," Garza said. "We had some momentum and the last thing I wanted to do was go out there and break it. Mauer is a great hitter. He already hit two doubles and I just basically said, If youre not going to hit this, no one is." I just tried to get it really far in there. He swung and it worked out." NOTES: Brewers 3B Aramis Ramirez, on the 15-day disabled list with a left hamstring injury, went 2 for 4 as the designated hitter in his second rehab game for Class-A Wisconsin. Ramirez is expected to be activated for Wednesdays game at Minnesota and could be the DH in the American League ballpark. ... It was the first of four consecutive interleague games between the Brewers and Twins, two in Milwaukee followed by two in Minnesota. ... Gibsons soft liner just beyond the reach of Gennett at second was his first hit in four major league at-bats. ... Mauers two doubles gave him 290 for his career, moving him past Justin Morneau for fourth place on the Twins all-time list (since 1961). ... Brewers reliever Will Smith has made 14 consecutive appearances without allowing an earned run, covering 13 2-3 innings. ' ' '