Colorado Avalanche general manager Chris MacFarland wasted no time in making shakeups to his team's lineup after the Olympic roster freeze thawed. Defenseman Samuel Girard was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins along with a second round pick in exchange for Brett Kulak. The trade by Colorado frees up 2.5 million dollars in the immediate future, and with Kulak's contract expiring at the end of the year, potentially creates an open roster spot for next season.
Kulak, 32, is a skilled veteran two way defenseman who has gotten his feet back under him after a rocky start to the beginning of the season, perhaps in part due to some roster movement earlier in the season. Acquired by Pittsburgh in the Tristan Jarry/ Stuart Skinner trade, Kulak is listed at 6'1" and 190lbs, which is about three inches taller and 20lbs heavier than Girard's listed height and weight.
Girard, 27, came to Colorado as a 19 year old in the Matt Duchene trade by way of Nashville, winning a Stanley Cup with the Avs in 2022 and playing for a total of 583 games with the team. Signed to a seven year, 35 million dollar contract in 2020, Girard has been a key contributor on Colorado's third pairing over the past several years.
Money talks
The move signals that the Avs are looking to gear up on size and are willing to sacrifice some speed as their average roster age gets even older with the move. Kulak should fit in with the physical, aggressive style taught by Jared Bednar and seen more prominently in some of the Avs other defenseman like Josh Manson and Brent Burns. With cap space at just over eight million heading towards the trade deadline, the Avs could look to deepen their centermen or add another quality blueline player to slot in the lineup as well in the coming days.
Parting ways with a second round pick helps to offset some of the cost of Girard's contract is slightly eyebrow raising. Though Girard is smaller, his smooth puck moving ability has helped the Avalanche more often than not, which makes the need for giving Pittsburgh, who already has over 30 picks in the next three years alone another pick in the top 100 of the draft somewhat odd. Kulak's struggles early in the season seem to have been smoothed over. Hopefully he can bring a stabilizing presence to an Avs defense that found itself floundering at times in January.
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