Colorado Avalanche trade Sam Girard to metro division team
Photo credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
Samuel Girard to the Pittsburgh Penguins is on the board, and it instantly shakes up both blue lines and both cap pictures.
Elliotte Friedman posted that Girard is going to Pittsburgh, and the same thread says Brett Kulak is being traded to Colorado.
That is a rare, clean defense-for-defense story, and it screams «fit» more than «flash.»
Girard is 27, drafted in 2016, second round, by the Nashville Predators, and he carries a $5,000,000 cap hit through 2026-27.
Kulak is 32, drafted in 2012, fourth round, by the Calgary Flames, and he's on a $2,750,000 cap hit that runs through this season.
Colorado is 37-9-9, so this is not a «fix everything» move. It's a «tighten one screw» move.
Pittsburgh is 29-15-12, and that record tells you they're still trying to win games right now, not just plan for next year.
Girard's game is all about exits and pace, the kind of lefty who helps your forwards play more in the O-zone.
If the Penguins want quicker breakouts, he fits, and the price is the extra money and the extra term.
Samuel Girard gives Pittsburgh Penguins a faster first pass
Penguins fans are going to love the idea, but they're also going to squint hard at the $5 million number and ask what else has to move.
On the Avalanche side, Kulak is a steadier, more straightforward defender who can survive tough minutes without needing the puck all the time.
That can matter in April, when shifts get heavier and the «pretty» plays disappear.
One catch, this still needs official confirmation, and it is not yet listed on the NHL's 2025-26 trade tracker.
So treat it as a strong report, not a completed transaction, until the paperwork hits.
If it does go through, watch the Penguins pairings right away, because Girard changes how you can deploy the rest of the left side.
And for Colorado, Kulak's cheaper cap hit opens a little breathing room for the next deadline swing.
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| POLL | ||
FEVRIER 24|124 ANSWERS Colorado Avalanche trade Sam Girard to metro division team Should the Pittsburgh Penguins trade for Samuel Girard based on this report? | ||
| Yes | 93 | 75 % |
| No | 31 | 25 % |
| List of polls | ||