Aarif Deen
The Avalanche have made a notable change on the blueline. Colorado traded defenseman Samuel Girard and a 2028 second-round draft pick to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for defenseman Brett Kulak, the team announced on Tuesday.
Girard’s more than eight-year tenure with the Colorado Avalanche effectively comes to an end.
Kulak, 32, has already been moved once this year, as he was part of the trade that sent Tristan Jarry to Edmonton for Stuart Skinner.
Kulak had a tough start to the season with the Oilers, but since joining the Penguins in December, his game has improved. He is in the final year of a four-year contract and carries a $2.75 million cap hit.
In both 2024 and 2025, Kulak played 82 regular-season games for the Oilers and appeared in all of their playoff games, which included two consecutive trips to the Stanley Cup Final. He averaged a whopping 23:25 per game in the 2025 postseason.
Girard makes $5 million against the cap and is under contract through the end of the 2026-27 season. He was reportedly on the market for more than a year.
More to come.