Megna has played 113 NHL contests with the Pittsburgh Penguins, New York Rangers and Vancouver Canucks. In those outings, he has scored 10 goals and added 10 assists. So far this campaign, he has recorded four points (three goals, one assist) in seven outings with the Eagles.
"He was hungry in training camp to prove that he deserved a full-time spot here, and we didn't have a spot for him as things kind of broke down with our numbers and number of contracts and whatnot but he is right up the road," said Bednar. "I think he is in a perfect situation, we get in a spot like this, he can come up and prove it again. You know when you get in regular season, you play well you will get the opportunity to continue to play.
"As of now with the three injuries we have, we got lots of opportunity for guys. Guys like him, [Vladislav] Kamenev, even [Valeri] Nichushkin who has been out of the lineup a little bit. This is a great stretch here for them to earn more ice and to prove they should be staying in our lineup."
Kamenev, who has been a healthy scratch so far this year, began Tuesday's practice centering a line with Nichushkin and Wilson. Bednar did not note what his forward lines will look like for tonight's game, but it is a possibility that Megna will play alongside the two Russians given Wilson's injury.
Philipp Grubauer is expected to get the start in net, as he was the first goaltender off the ice from the morning skate. He was between the pipes when Colorado defeated the Panthers 5-4 in overtime on Oct. 18 and made 40 saves in the win.
Below is the Avalanche's projected lineup based on the forward combinations and defensive pairings at Tuesday's practice, with Megna in the spot that Colin Wilson started the session in. They are subject to change.
Forwards
91 Nazem Kadri - 29 Nathan MacKinnon - 72 Joonas Donskoi
95 Andre Burakovsky - 17 Tyson Jost - 37 J.T. Compher
13 Valeri Nichushkin - 81 Vladislav Kamenev - 12 Jayson Megna
83 Matt Nieto - 41 Pierre-Edouard Bellemare - 11 Matt Calvert
Defensemen
49 Samuel Girard - 6 Erik Johnson
28 Ian Cole - 8 Cale Makar
16 Nikita Zadorov - 27 Ryan Graves or 44 Mark Barberio
Goaltenders
31 Philipp Grubauer
39 Pavel Francouz
Injured: 22 Colin Wilson (lower body), 92 Gabriel Landeskog (lower body), 96 Mikko Rantanen (lower body)